Five Touch Starved Arcobaleno and One Affectionate Colonnello
by w.hope
Summary: Turns out Lal's idiot-student who invites himself as an Arcobaleno is one touchy-feely guy. Skull shamelessly indulges himself in it while the others are busy pretending they're not. That's how it starts. (Physical intimacy leads to emotional intimacy leads to—) [Cross-posted on ao3. Tags inside.]
1. First Contact - Skull

**_Tags_ : Colonnello/Skull-centric. Colonnello/Arcobaleno. Skull/Arcobaleno. Minor or Background Polyamory!Arcobaleno.**

_Arcobaleno Curse Era. Arcobaleno Curse Aftermath. ADULT!Cursed!Arcobaleno (yes at the same time)._

_Skull's POV. Skull-centric._

_Coping with the Curse. Flame Harmonization. Fluff without Plot. Slice of Life. Building to Healthy Relationships. Mutual Pining._

_Nonbinary Viper._

**_Warning_ :** _Not Beta Read._

* * *

Skull is sat on Colonnello's lap. The living room is plunge in the dark, lights off despite the windows of the mansion still closed, and yet he certainly feels _seen_ anyway.

Skull stares right back—at Lal on the other end of the couch, and Reborn on the two-place armchair at her left, and Verde and Viper on the similar armchair at his left, and Fon sipping his tea on the low table in the middle of them all.

The looks are unwarranted for in Skull's humble opinion, as much as it is unclear how he got there in the first place.

So what if their Curse doesn't pin them to bed anymore, paralyzed? And sure they can hold their own weight now and walk around the mansion like the grown men they are, but what? It's not like Skull disregarded the available space in the room _on purpose_.

They were introducing themselves. Skull _did_ breach Colonnello's personal space when he showed genuine interest to his whole World's Greatest Stuntman thing. Then his whole civilian thing was brought out too, which earned him an arm around his waist, but Skull is _positive_ he was still out of anyone's lap at this point.

Then, err, something...?

Someone...?

(Some might say he was too distracted by the arm around his waist to pay attention from then on, but of course they'd be lying.)

_Anyway. _So Skull is sat on Colonnello's lap. And he's there from some time now so it's not like Colonnello minds it. Skull sure doesn't, and lets himself lean against the hard chest in his back.

The rest of the room sure _does_ look like they mind it, not subtle at all in how they act like they don't. Well, Lal actually doesn't. She gave them a deadpan look when it happened, then rolled her eyes, then ignored them altogether.

"Wait, so it's that recent?" It takes the pointed look of the others Arcobaleno for Skull to realize the question was addressed to him. He shifts sideways so he can look at Colonnello. "Your first contact with the mafia?" he precises when it's obvious Skull wasn't listening.

"Oh, uhm, yes? Like, around two years ago when I was chosen as one of the _I Prescelti Sette_."

"So you just were put at the top of the food chain right off the bat without knowing anything?" Skull shrugs. "And all that only for..." Colonnello trails off, his eyes on the purple pacifier around his neck. The temperature in the room drops a few degrees.

Skull shrugs again, visibly more stiff. "I guess."

"Man, that's tough." A rebuttal is right there on Skull's tongue when—

He jerks forward at the rise of Rain flames, hands finding balance on Colonnello's shoulders. Skull lets them there even when the flames settle in a loose embrace around him, at a respectable distance but close enough for him to feel the comfort they radiate. Colonnello smiles at him and Skull is but just a man.

"Yeah," he says, voice subdued. His eyes wander to find the blue pacifier, which wasn't intended but he can work with that. He grazes it with his fingertips. "Some days are harder than others."

The eye roll imprint on their shared Bond is so strong Skull might as well have looked at it for real. Someone else coughs loudly at his left but he's drawn to a tight hug all the same. The hand on his back moves in soothing circles.

"Good job making it this far."

Skull's smile goes all the way up to his ears. It's a shame the others can't see it though, his face hidden in Colonnello's neck, so he lets his flames talk for him. The room's temperature drops another degree and Skull's smile grows even bigger if possible.

His fellow Elements can fuck _right off_ if they think to ruin this for him.

* * *

**Fun fact : i dreamnt of this (yes this too). Like, the idea was going around my head from some time now but, yeah, it took a concret form in my dreams.**

**I hope you liked it. ****Any and all review are appreciated. Thank you for reading !**

**\- w.h**


	2. First Contact - Reborn

They get around to open the windows in the mansion at day, if only to let some fresh air in. Skull got himself access back to the roof too, and the garden in the back of the house, but it doesn't give him much relief. The mansion still reeks of — (_ragelosspain_) — it's as if he could never get far enough from it.

They're vulnerable, he understands it. They can't even do everyday chores without the need to take a nap right after. Skull makeup is still there and as flawless as ever by sheer force of his will only, because like hell he was going to let some godly curse — or whatever it is they agreed the man in the iron mask is — denied him of being _the_ fashion icon in the room.

He understands but he is a Cloud. The Strongest of them all. And at the end of the day he is still _stuck_ there, and he won't be able to take it for much longer.

Fortunately Skull always knew how to distract himself. And this time he sees no greater distraction than getting to watch Colonnello interacts with the others Arcobaleno.

* * *

Colonnello and Reborn are apparently childhoods friends who lost sights of each other at some point in their life. That sounds like a lie because, what were the odds really ?

Skull can't see it.

Skull can see it a bit more once he sees them headbutt each other, _hard_, when they were just reaching for the remote control at the same time and don't mention it at all. He sees it even more clearly when Reborn pushes Colonnello over the stairs' railing because he was in the way, and Reborn suits disappear later that day to never been seen again. _All of them._

Fine, so they _are_ childhood friends. Half of the time anyway.

The other half Reborn is too busy keeping Colonnello from getting too touchy. Which, _weird_, right ? Skull can't imagine Colonnello not having been like _that_ since birth. It's most likely that even back in their childhood, Reborn thought himself above any other human physical connection which don't involve a woman and a bed and both of them being naked.

How typical of him.

It makes it all the more hilarious when Colonnello cuts through his defenses like butter.

* * *

The couch is comfy, even more so when he's snuggled against Colonnello like that, but he knows the restless energy around them will force them to move soon. This passive life they all are reduced to makes all of them insane, and the soap opera they both started following can only distract them so much.

He glances behind him seconds before Reborn appears in the doorway.

Skull's not sure how he feels about the new-found closeness of their Bond, due to the Curse and, ironically enough, their Dissonance. He hopes it's only temporary and his flames will go back to mingle with the others' only from afar. (Or maybe he hopes it isn't, but he doesn't want to confront himself to the question.)

Skull _swears_ Reborn's steps faltered upon noticing Colonnello no matter how quick he forges on, a newspaper open in front of him. Colonnello catches him by his wrist when he's nearby, and he doesn't startle but _his flames_ _sure__ do_. Skull watches delighted how he obediently sits on the couch's armrest.

"What're you reading ?"

"The news."

Colonnello's arm snakes around Reborn's waist to push him closer against him. The hitman ends up in an awkward position, one leg still on the armrest, not fully seated on the couch and a bit sideways. He stays like that instead of making himself fit besides the blond like a normal person would, but Skull is _so_ here for it.

"Anything interesting ?"

Colonnello rests his chin on Reborn's shoulder, eyes sweeping over the newspaper. Skull gets on his knees, leans on Colonnello to take a peak too, which just so happen to means Colonnello gets even more all over the hitman.

"No."

Skull has to bite the inside of his cheek. He doesn't know how natural Reborn thinks he looks like right now, but _he is_ _**wrong**_. Sun flames flares when he makes himself heavier but he ignores it. Colonnello doesn't.

"Are you okay ?" He asks right in Reborn's ear, which flames do something Skull _never_ felt them do before.

The hitman bolts upright, a half newspaper in each hand. "Of course," he says not sounding okay at all, and Skull is _dying_. "I just forgot i had something to do."

He's laughing way before Reborn leaves, bends over the couch, and he knows he's gonna regrets it. Except he couldn't stop himself to save his life even if he wanted to.

"What the hell are you laughing about ?"

Skull just laughs even harder.

* * *

Reborn surrenders the day after, at breakfast. Well, it's almost noon already but none of them get around to start their day before ten a.m yet.

He comes in the kitchen in one of his ridiculous pajama onesie Skull doesn't envy at all, his hair a mess even when it's clear he did try to make them presentable. (God knows this man priorities.)

He flops down in the first chair he comes across, glances at his cereal bowl, Lal's cappuccino and _croissant_, Colonnello's fruit jam filled tart, and lets his head falls down on the table.

"Make me an espresso Lackey."

"You hate my espresso."

"He does ?" Colonnello asks. "How come ?"

Reborn snorts, because of course he'll always have the strength for that.

Lal digs the knife deeper in his back. "They're bad. You're better never drinking it."

Skull has his mouth open ready to defend his perfectly fine espresso, _thank you very much_, but gets kicked in the shin.

"_Espresso._"

Reborn keeps kicking him under the table even when Colonnello is up and on to the task. Which, fair, he _is_ looking at him a bit too much but he can't help it.

The hitman looks like shit and Skull feels… _something_ about it. He was on a job last night, an over-qualified one as usual. It's the whole point, to not let anybody get cocky enough and try something stupid, thinking the Arcobaleno were weakened somehow. (And how right they would be.)

It's working so far, but Reborn's flames are painful to feel right now so Skull supposes he can let himself be grateful at least.

Lal is long gone upstairs when Colonnello puts the scalding hot espresso on the table. Reborn straightens up to reach for it, only for Colonnello to move it away from him at the last moment. He looks up then, black eyes in blue ones, while Skull stares at the both of them in turn.

"Your hair is a mess. Here, let me."

Reborn slaps Colonnello's hand away. He goes for his drink again, Colonnello moves it out of his reach again. He clicks his tongue.

"You better _not_ be holding my espresso on hostage Colonnello."

Colonnello only pulls the chair behind him closer to sit on its armrest, without once breaking eye contact with Reborn. "I think I should help both you and Viper keeping us safe. It would be easier on you, and besides, the mafia have to know sooner or later that I'm one of you now. What do you think ?"

"That i'm going to _shoot you_."

Skull tries to chew his cereals as quietly as possible lest they remember him. He's being highly entertained at the moment after all.

"You look like shit Reborn. Skull, tell him he looks like shit."

"You do look like shit," Skull says, _highly_ entertained.

There's a beat of silence, then a surge of sudden Rain flames against which Reborn hasn't the time to do much else but melts. He glares daggers at the Rain who just rolls his eyes.

"You're so stubborn. And you definitely didn't have enough sleep to go through the day." He brings back the coffee within range and lets it there, either as an apology or a reward. "You're going straight back to sleep once you're done alright ?" He stands back up, and this time Reborn doesn't move away from the hand who finds its way to his hair.

Skull can't believe the sight in front of him. But here he is, sole witness of the World's Greatest Hitman reduced to a puddle of goo by deft fingers carding his hair and a good espresso alone. (And Rain flames, but they're gone now and the hitman still looks like he's just fine right where he is.)

"We have a deal then ?" It's not clear what Reborn mumbles, which may be because of the hand who moved all the way down to the base of his neck, but Skull would have taken it as a yes too. Colonnello chuckles. "Good."

He bends forward then to bump their heads together before nuzzling in his hair. And Reborn —

Reborn blushes.

Reborn _blushes_.

It's faint but his skin is paler than usual and Skull is _sure_ it's there. The flash of his phone ruins the mood faster than he can blink. Colonnello sends him a curious look, out of place compared to the murderous one Reborn gives him. Skull is going to die but the big grin on his face doesn't go anywhere.

The gunshot takes off but he took off faster, out of the kitchen and to wherever Viper is.

"Viper !" He screams at the top of his lungs.

Skull is going to die for that, but if he manages to get to Viper first the picture will survive forever.

It's a cause he's willing to die for.

* * *

**\- Skull made it to Viper, who misted them away so they could set history in stone (lol).**

**\- Reborn is pissed, but they both get the others to protect them from him in exchange of a sneak peak of the picture. (Reborn is even more pissed.)**

**\- Colonnello asks to taste Skull's espresso. Skull dares him to chug it down in one go. It doesn't go well.**

**I feel like i excessively used their names sjfkfêzfsj, sorry about it but i did my best. While writing this chapter i also realized that managing a large cast ensemble will prove a challenge for me, so you probably won't get all the arcobaleno at the same time often. And let's not forget the commas. And italics. Commas and italics everywhere and you better get used to it sjdsfhzefkg.**

**Also just in case anyone has doubts, the arcobaleno ARE adults in this (they're like in their twenties). The curse here doesn't need for them to be turn into infants.**

**I hope you liked it. Any and all review is appreciated. Thank you for reading !**

**\- w.h**


	3. First Contact - Fon

Skull is overflowing with his flames. How ironic, considering the pacifier which swallows his flames all day long. The damn thing is really good for nothing at all.

He is sat crossed legs on the carpet, eyes closed and the window wide open above his head. The sun rays on his skin and the occasional breeze are welcome but far from being enough. Skull clenches his fists and forces himself to stay still.

Cloud flames are heavy in the air and more are to come. Slowly but surely, as to not turn them harmful or lose control, Skull releases them straight from their core. It was a tedious task since the Curse. A third of them are claimed by the pacifier, the instinct to hold on them exacerbated because of it, and Skull sure as hell wasn't ever good at fighting his own instincts.

Needless to say, it isn't how he usually got rid of his excess of flames. The whole thing is as frustrating as the days before. The two-hour alarm had still to ring.

Skull relaxes his jaw and puts his hands flat on his thighs. His eyes open to land on the blue wall in front of him. It could be worse he supposes. He had been stucked _— locked_ — in four walls much less comfy before. Much less big, less welcoming, less safe, less everything.

His flames were kept from him before too. The itching, the urge to claw at his skin, to rip it off to let his flames free — Skull is familiar with it all already. It brings back memories, memories of —

The air in the room ignites in purple. For a second Skull considers doing nothing. To let his flames visible, to feed them more power, to let them _expand_. Skull had been locked in four walls much worse before and he _**burnt them to the ground**_ —

He bolts upright and roots his feet to the spot. There is nowhere else to go anyway, not in the state he is in, not when his bedroom is the room he tolerates the most of all the rooms in the mansion. He turns around to leans on the window's edge in a vice-like grip.

Skull is losing his goddamn mind. From the corner of his eyes he could see the purple of his flames fading and deepening and fading again. Maybe he should just go in the training room see how it goes. The two-hour alarm had still to ring.

Cloud flames flares again, the pacifier takes his due of them and Skull chokes on the scream he holds back. His hands fly to his hair and he _tugs_, tugs, tugs, tu —

Someone hugs him from behind. A dangerous tremor goes through his flames but the person doesn't let go.

"Take a deep breath with me." Skull only wants to _scream_ but complies anyway. He focuses on the soft voice in his ear. "Good, just like that. In… and out. In… and out."

Colonnello rocks him gently from left to right and manages to free his hair from his vicious grip. Skull lets his eyes closed and breathes in Colonnello's scent. It's only when his flames stop thrashing that the Rain uses his own to coax them back in a superficial calm, to numb them down, to make him relax. It could have taken minutes or hours for all the Cloud knows.

"I need to get out of here."

"Soon. Verde says he's almost done."

"It can't be soon enough," Skull spits out, feeling inexplicably relieved. It takes him a second to realize it doesn't come from him.

Oh. Were the others — 

Colonnello hugs him tighter, snuggles his neck. "Try to bear with it just a bit longer."

It sounds like an unrealistic request but it's not like Skull has any choice. He takes another deep breath, exhale, lets the last of the tension in his body go.

"Colonnello ?"

"Yeah ?"

"I'm pretty sure my door was closed and locked you know."

There's a beat of silence. Then another. Then Skull _whips_ his body around to look Colonnello in the face.

"_Really_ ? Did you break my door ? Is my door broken _again_ ? For god's sake don't you people know how to _knock_ ?"

The badly hidden smile on Colonnello's face makes Skull takes a last one, very much needed _deep_ breath.

* * *

Fon gives him a weird look, hair loose and damp and sticking to his skin. He smiles back, not sure it's what he's supposed to do but it seems to work. They're led to the bathroom and pause at the doorway.

"I noticed you were the one who comes assess the damage when Fon… _slips_." Colonnello answers his silent question. "So, here you are."

"Yes I do that. Because I know a couple of tricks when it comes to mechanics. Not how to clean up a war zone."

"Don't exaggerate," Fon denies and get two disbelieving looks for it.

Skull turns back to the _war zone_ and takes it in once more. The bathtub is in pieces, only one of the glass doors around the shower remains, the pieces of glass on the wet floor and the various furniture in the room broken in some way, if not all. Burnt marks are pretty much everywhere, especially around the suspiciously looking-like-fists imprints on the wall. Nothing in the small toolbox Skull's holding will do much good.

"You can fix the faucet," Fon proposes. "It's leaking."

It isn't right now but it does somehow looks intact, incredibly enough considering the destruction all around it.

"What, did you let it time to beg for its life ? Did you have an affair with it or something ?"

Colonnello snorts and tries to hide it by coughing. Skull glances at Fon, then glances away real quick and hurry towards the faucet to start his work.

Colonnello nor him ask what happened. It's not the first time, but even more than that they all have to work through gaining back control on their flames since the Curse. The Storm's… _slips_ just so happen to be more collateral damage inducing than the rest of them.

"Done," Skulls informs and makes a show to turn the faucet on and off to demonstrate it.

"Thank you. My apologies for the inconvenience."

He turns around just in time to see Colonnello all but throws himself on Fon, taking away his hands from his hair. He looks positively offended.

"Were you going to braid them ?"

Skull do _not_ miss the glance Fon throws his way. "Yes ?"

"But they're not even dry yet. And you didn't brush them."

"It's fine." Fon glances at him again. His smile is strained. "I'm… not in the mood for a hair routine anymore," he adds when Colonnello doesn't free his hands.

"Oh." Colonnello pauses, then takes on a really... Rain-y demeanor. "Do you want to talk about it ?" He asks in the soft voice he used before with him.

The sharp taste of Storm flames in the air disappears as quick as it appears. The Storm himself stills looks ready to strike however, or bolts far from there. He doesn't do either, which just may be because of the thumbs stroking his wrists, but what does Skull know.

Fon wipes his smile off his face and sighs. His voice is quiet when he speaks. "Storm flames rather tend to lack... _delicacy_. I spent years making my own flames the exception. What's happening now is simply frustrating."

Colonnello gives Fon's hands a squeeze. "Yeah, I can imagine." He intertwines their fingers together, and Storm flames flares again for an entirely different reason. "Do you mind others touching your hair ?" Is the next out of nowhere question.

Fon glances at him once more, the confusion on his face kind of hilarious but Skull bravely hold back. "Not really ?"

"Good," the Rain perks up. "Let's move on to the bed then."

* * *

They move on to the bed. Fon is between Colonnello's legs and lets him dry his hair with a towel. Skull sits in front of the Storm, working his fingers through his bangs. They're soft, silk-like between his fingers. His skin is smooth too and warm to the touch.

They're close Fon and him, closer than Skull remember them ever being missions apart. It made him jumped when he asked for permission beforehand through their Bond. Apparently the others had still to realize the new closeness of their flames.

Fon is staring at him but he pretends to not notice. Fon is very much _staring_ at him though, and he deems it more safe to look back. He's quick to lose the confrontation and holds back a sigh.

"So," Skull breaks the silence, a bit curious himself, "what do you even know about hair again ?"

Colonnello doesn't look up. "Lal lets me do hers when she can't bother to. Why ?"

Skull pointedly looks at Fon at that. Fon looks right back at him. Fon is burning holes in his skin with his eyes when Colonnello puts the towel aside for the brush, and Skull can make the smart decisions from time to time.

"I was just curious. What do you know about braiding hair ?"

He makes a face at the Storm's deadpan expression. So what if he didn't beat around the bush ? Honestly, how ungrateful.

Colonnello only hums for a response, and this time the eye contact between him and Fon is mutual. He looks away, only to find blue eyes already on him, blue eyes which are _staring him down._

Skull closes his mouth real quick. He stands his ground when the Storm pulls at their bond, and rolls his eyes when he starts pouting. The _audacity_. Fon certainly looks relaxed enough under Colonnello's ministrations. The guy obviously knew how to use his fingers, as they were all figuring out one by one.

The guy did _not_ know how to make a braid.

It's loose, hair of strands sticking out everywhere, and Colonnello visibly didn't stick to the same movement pattern until the end. It's —

"Cute," Fon settles on, ever the nice one.

"Yeah, in how lame it is," Skull corrects and gets shoved for it. "I thought Lal let you do her hair ?"

"She does."

"What you do for love, am I right ?"

Fon seems to startle himself with his chuckle. He raises his hand to cover his mouth with his sleeve but his eyes stays full of mirth.

Colonnello huffs. "Well aren't you guys fucking mean." He gets on his knees, towering above them, his arms on Fon's shoulders. He tilts the Storm's head up. The atmosphere in the room changes drastically. "I did my best you know." He rubs his knuckles alongside his jaw, and it's easy to see the blush rising up along Fon's neck, bared as it is.

What a sneaky little bastard.

"Cute," Fon stammers. "I said — the braid — braid is cute, I said."

"Just cute ?" Colonnello nuzzles their noses together. He slides his hand down Fon's neck, right over the adam's apple which visibly pops up and down. The Storm's bond goes _hysteric_. "I worked really hard on it."

The little _son of a_ —, Skull doesn't even have his phone with him !

They wait a long time for Fon's response. And another really long time. Skull takes pity when he still looks like a deer caught in head lights, his face as red as his clothes. (Colonnello is a second away of laughing and it doesn't help Skull keep his composure.)

He doesn't mean for his touch to startle the martial artist. He doesn't expect him to startle so bad he actually _headbutt_ Colonnello. The way he falls back groaning in pain but Fon doesn't even _acknowledge_ it makes him loose it.

He bursts out laughing, and Fon takes the opportunity to flee his own bedroom.

* * *

**\- have some Skull's... backstory ? I put a question mark because, you know, i did promise you fluff WITHOUT plot, but yeah, have... this**

**\- the bathroom issue is completly ignored until the next day**

**\- Skull and Colonnello coax Fon back and spend the afternoon playing with his hair.**

**\- it's a Skull POV so it may not be shown but as stated, they all are working through fixing whatever the Curse fucked up in their flames. Also if anybody wonder, they are all avoiding each other (mainly because now that Luce betrayed them they're kind of questionning their Bond), and that's why these "one on one" encounter can happen.**

**(- i couldn't squeeze in a more serious conversation between Colonnello and Fon, but oh well, maybe in another chapter)**

**I'm not quite satisfied with this chapter. I'm sorry to all of you Fon's lovers but hopefully it was at least okay.**

**Are my dialogues okay ? I confess it's one of my biggest fear when it comes to my writing. (also using too much their names dfskflkds) (also it doesn't become repetitve does it ? I try not to make it so but do tell me if i fail to do so lol)**

**I hope you liked it. Any and all review are appreciated. Thank you for reading !**

**— w.h**


	4. First Contact - Viper

"Ta-da." Skull moves the fabric aside and reveals the shiny all black motorcycle underneath, which Reborn's probably already seen. It's quite boring looking in Skull's opinion, but the hitman always had a taste for anything overpriced and boringly common. "A gift for you."

Reborn's leaning against the garage's door like the paranoid he is, as if Skull is stupid enough to try anything against him in an enclosed space. (He is, but it's not the point.)

He comes closer when he doesn't continue though, and stops when only the motorcycle stands between them, arms crossed on his chest.

"It's the most advanced model on the market right now, and the most advanced one anywhere really since I customized it. It's fast, and I mean _fast_, bulletproof right up to the tires, and of course resists to Dying Will Flames too. Also a two-place, for when you want to play Casanova." Skull wiggles his eyebrows at that and only get a dismissive tilt of the fedora for it, but he doesn't miss the little smile at the corner of Reborn's lips.

"Icing on the cake," he resumes, "the motorcycle has a reserve of Cloud flames Verde said you'd find a way to use. And Mist flames too, from Viper, who's hiding somewhere in the room."

Skull lets his eyes sweep over the room, not expecting much, then focus back on Reborn. Reborn who is looking pointedly at him. _Very_ pointedly.

It takes him a moment to catch on because, surely, they wouldn't… ?

Skull turns around, his back to Reborn. "Are you using me as a shield Viper ?"

The Mist appears then, all but nose to nose with him — well, they would be anyway if they were the same height as him. "What makes you think that ?"

"The facts, Viper."

"How curious."

Skull raises his hands in the air but the click of a gun cuts off their discussion. He turns back to face the hitman and doesn't forget to side-stepped. (The Mist has the gall to huff at that.)

"Now then, in what honor is this —" Reborn gestures vaguely to the motorcycle with his free hand — "gift ?"

"What do you think ? It's a peace offering."

"More like a sacrifice in exchange of our life," Viper corrects. "So stop wasting my time."

How rich of them. They just had to mist themselves away whenever Reborn was around. Skull on the contrary spent these last few days jumping out windows or ducking behind furniture or being chased around in the mansion. (It's actually been fun if he's being honest with himself. A hell of a lot more fun than what their cat-and-dog type relationship usually entails, but he doesn't want to push his chance.)

Reborn goes around the vehicle slowly and sits on it. He keeps his gun pointed at them while he grazes the cold metal, always with his theatrics.

Skull do _not_ yelp at the sudden gunshot. He's quick to raise his hands in surrender. "I swear I was thinking it as a compliment."

"Reborn is _not_ a mind reader." Viper's tone is often annoyed, usually neutral, but rarely exasperated like it is now. "How many times the _only_ psychic in this house have to tell you ?"

"Aw, still jealous Viper dear ?"

"We're leaving Skull."

He would have love that, but Skull hasn't the time to do _literally_ anything that Reborn yanks him by his collar. He's standing now, like the gun under his chin isn't intimidating enough.

"I'll take your gift."

"Great. You're welcome." He wants to look away — at Viper preferably who maybe only needs his signal to try and help him — but Reborn blacks eyes are… really black. His breath smell like coffee, as usual, warm on his skin.

"It better not be one of your _funny_ ideas, Lackey."

"Of course not Sir, I would never." The hand stays put despite his efforts to remove it so Skull just gives up. The hitman's smirk is infuriating, that's the only reason he's looking at it. Reborn slides the gun all the way up his chin to his lips, and stops it just _right_ on the piercing there.

A chill run down Skull's spine. He feels _hot_ all of a sudden.

"I wonder about that."

A flash goes off, blinding him from the corner of his eyes. The pure look of annoyance which crosses Reborn's face is _so_ worth the end of the short-lived truce, Skull doesn't even mind. At least this time he's not to blame.

* * *

It's weird Skull had been asked to come on the mission, no matter how Viper recognizes he is the best driver of them all — or anybody really —, but he sure will do the most of it. Right now it means walking slowly, dragged by the hand as he is.

The neighborhood they're in isn't welcoming. The streets are full of mafioso who think they're being discreet in their side glances. If not them, the civilians present walk in hurried steps, heads down and close to each other. All the windows are closed despite the good weather.

Skull couldn't care less about all of it. All that's matter is that he is outside with the mansion nowhere in sight, the clear sky above his head and surrounded by noises of more than six people going on about their day.

He makes a face at a crying boy whose gaze he caught ahead of them, and multiple more until he gets a smile out of him. He's shifting towards him and his father intent on earning himself a laugh, when Colonnello tugs on his hand and brings him back to his side.

"Let's stay focused Skull. We're on a job remember ?" He only hums noncommittally, eyes already wandering around. "Should I put you on a leash then ?"

Skull would have tripped head first if not for Colonnello holding his hand. He gives the blond an incredulous look. "Kinky."

"Was that a yes ?" Colonnello's smile widens and maybe Skull goes the tiniest bit weak in the knees.

"Should _I_ put both of you on a leash ?" Viper appears before them when they were farther ahead, and _goddamnit_ they really need to _stop_ doing that.

They stare at each other for a moment before —

"Kinky," both him and Colonnello say at the same time.

The Mist looks… like they have a hood covering half of their face, actually. But they're bonded, and they're a psychic, and so their want to bash them in the head doesn't go unnoticed.

Colonnello offers his hand. "You can have that if you want."

Viper hesitates for all of a second. They snatch the hand before them and resume walking like nothing is wrong. Skull gasps as loud as he can, and then some more just because.

"They really took it." Colonnello glances at him, unrestrained smugness all over his face. Skull saunters to him and intertwines their arms. "Aren't they so bold ?" He mock-gossips. "We're in _public_."

Colonnello's snickers are cut short when Viper _yank__s_ on his hand. They both fall down laughing.

* * *

Everything goes to shit as it often does. It started pretty well too, as it often does. Why they were three of them to meet with the client, Skull isn't too sure — something about the client's wish for them to complete the job the very same day, in the event they were to accept it.

He missed the signal which started the ambush, but he knows it isn't because of a refusal. They didn't even get the time to get there before guns were out and ready to be used — something about how Viper pissed the client somehow, he isn't really sure either.

Everything goes to shit and it actually doesn't matter. They know the song well enough, even Skull. Having his flames wrap around him and in stand-by right beneath his skin, then making it up as it goes is an exercise he's familiar with.

Except Viper and Colonnello go full battle mode with their flames and Skull _doubles over in pain_.

It takes him long seconds of white-hot blinding pain and panic to realize none of them got hurt. To realize it's the Bond, sharpened by the high use of flames. The high use of flames which sharpen in turn their Dissonance.

Mist flames take over the room and it feels like two sharps of glass grinding against each other. Like someone is trying to merge them together but only succeed to break them even more in pieces the more they tried.

Skull drags himself into a corner and makes sure to not act on his instinct. (He's not sure if he wants to make both him and Viper feel better, or _rip_ his flames away from their Bond for good.) Between one man who falls prey to Mist flames and another, he wonders why Colonnello's bond doesn't hurt him the same.

A burst of pain takes his breath away, still not his, and his eyes fly open. He gets rid of the purple flames which blur his vision, and first notice the bodies lying dead at his feet.

The second thing he notices is Colonnello and Viper facing each other across the room, just before the Mist stumbles on his feet. Blood slip between their fingers where they're clutching their side.

He's by their sides with a few quick steps and leads Viper to the closest intact chair. He lets a hand on their back, rubbing it up and down.

Skull is weak on his feet still. If it's how the Dissonance feel between him and Viper, he wonders how much worse it is between Viper and the others. He thinks back of Reborn at this particular breakfast, paler than normal, eyes less sharp than usual. Is that how the both of them felt each time they were going out on their missions this last month ?

Skull never took the time to think about what the Curse would meant for Elements bonded more tightly than he ever was with the Arcobaleno. He feels guilty Viper has to get shot for him to do so.

He swallows around the lump in his throat, and takes notes of the tension between his two Elements only when Colonnello speaks.

"Let me look at it."

"I'm fine. I don't need your flames."

"Well _I_'ll need them to slow the blood loss Viper." Colonnello puts back his anti-rifle on his back and crouches down in front of the chair. He has a first aid kit in his hands he found somewhere in the room. "I need to patch you up so you can last until we get you to a doctor. No one is talking about forcing a Bond on you."

Viper tenses under his hand. "You can always try if you want. But Lal was —"

"- _**Is**_." Colonnello's voice is like ice, low and warning. Skull looks at his face, all hard traits at the moment, and remember it's the man who took a curse meant for one of the Strongest in the world and survived it. He's glad he sounds a bit more like himself when he talks again. "It's complicated, but Lal's Rain flames are still there. And I would never even _think_ to do something like that to her. Never insult me like that again."

The silence is tense around them, and Skull finds himself a bit afraid. He would try to pacify them through their Bond but he has no idea how to do that. He gets on his knees instead, redirects Viper's focus on him.

"You're hurting Viper. We just want to make it better okay ?" He squeezes their arm. "Please."

It takes another tense silence for Viper to lean against the chair, all will to fight seemingly lost from them. Skull stays on his knees, his arms crossed on the armrest and his head resting on them. They don't say a word while Colonnello gets to work. Apparently the bullet went through the body and didn't touch anything important so it isn't so bad.

He doesn't mean to say the words, actually holds them back as long as he can, but he blurts them out anyway. "Aren't you in Dissonance with us too, Colonnello ?"

The Rain doesn't miss a beat, doesn't stop in his movements. "Yeah I am. Well —" he glances at him, a little smile on his lips — "not so much with you anymore since we first introduced ourselves to each other."

Skull smiles back but it doesn't last. "Doesn't it hurt you then ?"

"Yeah it does. But differently than the rest of you as far as I know. Lal too I think, but we still have to talk about it."

Skull's heart squeezes painfully. At least if he'd ever want to talk about it with the others he knew they'd understand. Skull doesn't know how to consciously speak through their Bond, so he reaches a hand to stroke Colonnello's cheek.

Colonnello leans in the touch.

* * *

"You're taking advantage of him."

"Rain flames numb you down. You wouldn't want me to fall down the stairs, would you ?"

"They've got a point."

"They literally can _fly_ Colonnello."

"Don't be jealous."

They have the time to come down another whole floor before Skull's making sense again. "It's a piggyback ride Viper. Not much to be jealous of."

Viper looks back at him, then in front of them again, and in a seemingly innocent gesture rubs his face against Colonnello. Colonnello absentmindedly rubs back and Skull is _so fucking_ jealous.

He runs ahead of them before they can go outside, Colonnello's anti-tank rifle bouncing on his shoulder, then turns back to get in the blond's space, almost chest to chest.

"Woah, what are you —" His breath hitches when Skull runs his hands all over him, and he takes note of the fact somewhere in his head.

"Nothing," he smiles, slipping the phone from Colonnello's pocket to his. He lost his own sometime during the fight, and it's almost like the universe is trying to tell him something. If _only_ he would listen. "Let's go."

Skull keeps the door open for them and try to make his grin as innocent as he can. It's Reborn who was going to be happy for this one particular set of photos he plans to take.

* * *

**(Apparently you can't answer to guests' reviews ? Well i read your comment in any case lovely guest, and i'm glad you like this story. Thank you for your review !)**

**\- I couldn't work out the trope where Colonnello get aquainted with Skull's driving skills and i'm really disappointed in myself for that**

**\- Once Viper fell asleep on Colonnello's back, Skull all but did a photoshoot of them all fhjfhjsk (they do NOT try to take advantage of it and remove Viper's hood)**

**\- He does show the pictures to Reborn and accept to give him a copy, that plus the fact that Viper come back hurt, Reborn let's go of his vengeance this one time**

**These chapters just keep getting longer and longer and IDK WHY (you'll be dissappointed when i go back to shorter chapters like promised :( ). I continue to only post past midnight too and i don't have an explanation for it either dsjkfhdsjf.**

**(Also i was wondering if maybe you minded my ramblings at the end of the chapters ?)**

**I hope you liked it. Any and all review are appreciated. Thank you for reading !**

**\- w.h**


	5. First Contact - Verde

"You're shitting me."

"Nuh-uh, it went just as bad as I just told you. I mean come on, the seven of us in a lab full of ongoing experiments and one bored Reborn ? How else could it have gone ?"

Colonnello looks skeptic still but resumes his hand's movements in his hair. "Alright, yeah, you got me. But did you _have_ to destroy the lab ?"

"I mean it's not like we _intended_ to. But Reborn started throwing things at us and, well —" Skull shrugs, jostling the leg where he has his head laid on.

"And now you're stuck waiting for Verde to put his things aside whenever you need to go in his lab ?"

"Basically."

Colonnello glances at the locked door beside him, then back at him. "Typical of Reborn."

"You don't say," Skull laughs, but then tries to muffle it with his hand lest Reborn be summoned by it and round the corner intent to kill him.

The blond shakes his head, grinning down at him. "You're all just a bunch of crazy. I don't even know why I'm surprised because it looks just like the type of Set Lal would have."

"Yeah ? What does it say about you that you fit so well in it so far then ?"

Colonnello's smile falters and all traces of humor evaporates from within Skull. Something like guilt flashes in his eyes but it's gone before he can be sure. The hallway goes dead silent and Skull is _such_ _a goddamn idiot_.

He raises his hand to his cheek to make him look at him again. "Want me to tell you what it says ?"

"What ?" It's barely a whisper.

"That Lal has really a distinct type."

Colonnello blinks at him, mouth agape, then he's laughing, throwing his head back against the wall. Skull lets his hand falls content with himself, until suddenly all he can see is Colonnello's face. He tries hard not to shift, extra aware of the thumb brushing his temple.

"You really don't know when to keep your mouth shut, do you ?"

He raises his hand again to keep blond locks out of his view. "One of my many qualities."

"Yeah it is." Skull's heart makes something funny he doesn't want to dwell on. "Want to enlighten me on something else ?" The dramatic pause makes him roll his eyes. "If __I__ am Lal's type and _you_ are Lal's type too — what does that say ?"

Skull's heart skips a beat. He has no idea what Colonnello's actually implying because he can't really think right now, but his heart refuses to slow down.

His mouth is opened on words he hasn't decided on yet, but the door clicks open and he ends up not saying anything at all.

Skull feels both relieved and disappointed at that. (And maybe he feels a bit more disappointed than relieved.)

* * *

Skull doesn't know if it's a law of the universe that every lab in the world have to be white but Verde's own isn't the exception.

The lab is empty except for the multiple locked cupboards against the walls, for sure protected by a lightning shield. It smells its usual mixture of chemicals and disinfectant he still doesn't like, and Verde is yet to take him up on the offer to put some background music in there.

The man is busying himself in front of a little table nearby, while Colonnello and him are sat in one of these beds doctors have. Skull couldn't ever find them comfortable enough.

"Is it just me or the room is way too big compared to the space between the doors in the hallway ?" Colonnello whispers in his ear.

"This whole part of the house is dedicated to Verde's researches," he whispers back. "He made walls fall down where he could and how it arranged him the most."

Verde rolls the table towards them, diverting their attention on him, and Skull is relieved to see there's only a few things on it.

"Alright, listen —"

"Are you taking care of yourself Verde ?" He cuts him off without meaning to. "You look terrible."

Verde looks absolutely overworked, with dark bags under his eyes, his hair messed up and his skin worryingly pale. His clothes and coat are all ruffled, and he sounds just _tired_.

"I'm still standing am I not ?"

"Barely." Verde shifts his gaze to Colonnello at that, who stands his ground, and Skull quickly steps in.

"Just sit down at least ? Please ?"

So maybe Skull feels a bit guilty now for his bouts of impatience. He couldn't help but wonder if Verde spent any time at all _not_ working on the Curse, making sure it isn't harming them more than necessary. He ought to apologizes to him at some point.

He doesn't know if the scientist catches on his inner struggle or not but he goes find a chair for himself anyway. He also takes the opportunity to move his computer from the table to his lap.

"Now listen," he starts again. "I'm going to put these capsules around your pacifiers to analyze how they work. Keep your flames as docile as possible until I'd need you to feed your pacifier willingly."

"Willingly ?" Skull repeats, ready to bolt out of there already.

"You heard me. It'll be for just a few minutes. I had some of the others do it already, it's with no consequences." It doesn't reassure him but he keeps his complaints to him anyway. Colonnello doesn't look much eager either, but Skull supposes they aren't about to tell Verde how to do his researches. "Great. Lose your jackets and lie down."

They lose their jackets and lie down. There's no lights blinding him above his head or horrifying looking tools ready to slice him open, and it helps him breath a little easier. Verde gets them ready, put the transparent capsules on, adds some captors of some sort on their bare skin, and injects them with something he doesn't feel the effect. (His flames might have come to life at the view of the needle but neither of them comment on it.)

He freezes when Colonnello takes his hand in his, then relaxes, and only notices then how much he was fidgeting on the first place. The scientist sits back down and Skull keeps his eyes on him, both as a distraction and because of how he legitimately worries.

"Are you taking care of yourself ?" He asks again.

"Yes," is the reluctant answer. It earns him a little smile. Apart from Fon, Verde is the only one to recognize that Skull can't be swayed on if he doesn't feel like it. "Reborn and Fon come from time to time to knock me out cold."

Colonnello splutters at that, and Skull thinks he ought to be surprised too but dismisses the thought in the same breath.

"What about food ?"

"They do threaten me to feed me themselves if I don't do it on my own, yes."

"Good." He gives the scientist an approving smile which colors Verde's face in something else than tiredness, no matter how faint it is. "Now if only we had a functioning Rain available to make it more painless."

Skull swears Verde and him exchanged a smile at Colonnello's sharp intake of breath. He raises on his elbow. "Say _what_ now ?" He's quick to squish his cheeks with his hand. "You've got some nerves. What, you don't think I tried ? Take that back."

"Oh ?" He says innocently and get pushed against the bed for that. He struggles under Colonnello's weight but _goddamn_ the guy is heavy, and he's too busy laughing and crying for help to Verde and not suffocating anyway.

The scientist's help come in the form of lightning sparks along their skin which bring them back to order. "Rain flames slow down my mind so I avoid them like the plague. Now stop acting like children and hold still."

Colonnello shoves him one last time before complying. He pinches him until Skull abdicates and apologies.

* * *

The group exercise isn't going well. He doesn't know why Verde made them sit in front of each other because it isn't helping. Verde's own stare on him is distracting. He glances to the scientist who takes it as his cue to judge him again.

"Are you even trying ?"

"If you ask me that _one more time_ Verde, I swear —" His glare lets the man unfazed so he shifts his focus back to Colonnello, sat cross-legged on the bed like him too. If he feels impatient he doesn't show it, bless his soul.

Skull _is_ trying. It isn't his fault if he has no idea how to use the Bond. Isn't it supposed to be something all instinctual, as natural as breathing or whatever the stories says in the first place ?

"I'm going to speak through our bond again," Colonnello says. "Focus on it and try to speak back to me."

Skull takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. Their Bond manages to be a jumble mess somehow, despite the distinct distance they keep between their respective flames. They meddle together anyway, to better pushed each other away and sink their claws deeper on each other all at once, flames raw and lashing out.

His mood lifts suddenly, as if someone just patted his back or squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, and Skull traces the feeling back to Colonnello's bond. The Rain feels like waves crashing against the foot of a cliff, which find their strength in their relentlessness. He focuses his flames on it and tries to send back some gratitude.

And tries again.

And keep trying.

It takes around fifteen minutes for Colonnello to react.

"I felt that," he exclaims.

"Felt what ?"

"Err, something ?"

"Something." Verde's repeats, and his tone makes Skull gears up for the rest. "It's vague. I'll need you to be more precises than 'something' Skull."

"What about my urge to strangle you right now ?"

"Irrelevant. You must do it consciously."

Skull throws his head back and groans.

* * *

The group exercise takes a turn for the better. It takes him thirty more minutes for him to have any say on what his bond does, no matter how little it is. They go from Something, to a Good Something or Bad Something, to actually some nuances between the two extremes, and finally to whole feelings like joy or sadness or tiredness or anger. Sometime his pacifier glows in its transparent capsule, only his, but Verde doesn't say anything about it so he ignores it.

Skull couldn't say at what point he decides to just make Colonnello cracks up instead of having a non-verbal conversation with him. He sends him only what would be an infectious laugh, or the punchline of a particularly good joke, or _tickles _of all things. He has no fucking idea how he does that, no matter how consciously he does it, but he's _good_ at it.

He watches how Colonnello bites his lip to keep his composure, his teeth sinking into rosy flesh, how his smile spreads little by little and crinkles his eyes, how he breaks in laughter, head threw back and his upper body shaking with it. He watches, and makes sure the blond keeps laughing, tracks the red rising his cheeks, and the sky blue eyes shining with tears, and —

Skull tries to not have his breath stole away. Skull tries his best to keep thought of _pretty, gorgeous, hot damn_ far away from their bond. (He thinks it weird Verde doesn't tell him off for it, until a quick look at his bond tells him that he is just too busy watching too.)

* * *

The bed is a tight fit for the three of them. (It's not clear how they all end up on it.)

Skull is playing with the new metal bracelet around his wrist, a flame reading device, and tries not to rip it off from there. He glances down to Verde's computer, with moving lines and numbers and diagrams he can't bother to try to understand on the screen, then to the man's similar bracelet at his wrist.

They are supposed to keep it only for a day but Skull is sure the scientist'd been wearing it longer. It's a jarring realization, because as much as the slight pull on his flames could reasonably be ignored altogether, Skull doesn't think he'd ever feel any intrusion on his flames in any other way than a violation. He couldn't keep the bracelet on for more than a day even if he wanted to, and he isn't even sure he'll last that long for starting.

Verde jabs him in the ribs when he doesn't look away. "Whatever useless thoughts are going on in your head, I'd rather you use your energy to have my devices ready to work."

"I'm doing just that."

Verde pushes his glasses back up his nose. "No you're not. Should I remind you the instructions ?" He opens his mouth to say no but of course it was a rhetoric question. "Conceal, Rise, Expand, Focus. These are basic flames exercises. Surely you have that much discipline on yours ?" He gives him a pointed look. "Colonnello is done already."

"Good for him."

Colonnello raises his head from the other side of Verde to give him an amused look before lying back down. Skull focuses back on doing what he's told to do. He'd be done too if it wasn't for the scientist's absurd high standards.

The silence falls back in the room, more comfortable than he would have thought. He's almost lulled by the computer's noises and occasional clicks of the keyboard when Colonnello speaks again.

"Verde ?"

"We're not talking about that."

"Okay." He turns to his side, lowers the computer screen so Verde can't see it anymore, and waits for an acknowledgment that only comes in a sigh. "Let's talk about your unshaven beard of multiple days now then."

"What about it ? It's only part of my —" His eyes flicker to Skull — "_aesthetic_."

Skull bolts upright. "Fucking say that again _I dare you_, you little —"

Colonnello yanks him back down by the arm. "Your aesthetic is _just fine_ Skull. You're reacting just the way he wants you to."

The amused look in Verde's eyes more than the words makes him shut up — barely —, but he doesn't fail to punch him in the shoulder for it. He becomes intentionally bad at controlling his flames after that, and gets even worse when Verde's bond flares in irritation. He can't believe he considered for even a second to be nice to him.

When Verde slides the computer to him Skull thinks he's about to be told off, but he turns to face Colonnello instead.

"I see." The familiar interest in his voice is back, for the first time since they entered the lab. "So that's what you do."

"What ?"

"Your hand." Colonnello immediately retracts it from where he was drawing circles on the junction between Verde's neck and shoulder. "I didn't tell you to take it off." He lowers it back where it was and tentatively starts drawing his circles again. "That's what all the fuss is about then. I suppose I can see why the others would like it."

"But not you ?"

"I'm merely collecting data."

Colonnello chuckles. "You're cute." Verde's bond _stills_ in bewilderment and surprise, and Skull savors the rarity of it. "It's called human warmth mister the scientist." He draws closer to bump their foreheads together, and the reddening of his ears is undeniable. "I'm rather fond of this, yes."

Verde turns his back to him, only to scowl faced to Skull's grin, which grows even bigger when he takes note of the computer he was quick to put aside on the chair, out of his reach. He's almost pushed to the floor for that, and when he repositions himself snickering, Verde is glaring at the ceilling arms crossed on his chest.

Colonnello takes off his glasses and gives them to him to put aside too. Verde narrowed stare isn't much intimidating when Skull is sure it's partly due to bad eyesight. He finds it kind of cute.

He stays still when the hand who was playing with the strands of his hair at the base of his neck goes up to massage his temple. But _of course_ it's simply for the sake of his precious data and nothing else.

The jab in his ribs is unexpected but it really shouldn't have been at this point. The red colored skin is worth it, but Skull jabs back anyway this time. He still thinks this Bond thing should come with a firewall or something.

"Stop it, both of you. And Verde, just relax. I promise you won't find us dying when you'll wake up alright ?"

"Pity," he says, making both of them snort.

Verde falls fast asleep after that. Skull exchanges a knowing glance with Colonnello before focusing back on him. It's new to him to see him like that, body relaxed and face peaceful. He's rarely the one send to remind the scientist of his body limits and doesn't ever linger afterwards.

Verde's breath is slow and steady, his bond a pleasant tingle and he surprises himself on how content he feels. Maybe he finds it a bit cute too when Verde starts snoring.

Skull smiles to himself, and stands up to go search for a blanket.

* * *

**This chapter did NOT want to be written, but here it is anyway.**

**\- skull tries his new-found skill on the others just to fuck with them**

**\- they're ok with it and actually enable him only when they're not the target of it**

**\- viper's laugh is the favorite and they're NOT happy when the others league against them so they can hear it more**

**\- (the pictures he takes that day are skull's favorites so far)**

**So. There's arguably a bit too much Colonnello/Skull for a Verde chapter (and maybe it's a bit too dialogue-y ?). For my defense as much as Colonnello (and Skull) is very much the touchy-feely type, it doesn't mean all the arcobaleno are too. And as it turns out i headcanon Verde as the type of person who isn't much up for physical contact (which is not to say he is necessarily against it). I tried to include him and give him some love whenever i could and wherever it felt natural to me, but i'm sorry to all the Verde lovers if you feel a bit disappointed.**

**Next chapter is Lal. I have two ideas define enough for me to write but apart from that, so far i draw a blank. If I were to summarize her chapter it'd be something like "Lal steps in to remind everyone who is the official girlfriend in the house. She delights in the Arcobaleno's misery while she's at it because she's stealing all of Colonnello's attention" (she's ruthless skdmdksj). So if you have some ideas or scenes you'd like to see on this concept don't hesitate to share it, i'll take note of them !**

**Finally i wanted to say thank you so much to all of you for your favorites and follows ! I see you and i appreciate you.**

**I hoped you liked it. Any and all review are appreciated. Thank you for reading !**

**(hey do you know these type of beds doctors have ? Or in the dentist ? What ARE those called ?)**

**\- w.h**


	6. First Contact - Lal (but not really)

Skull wasn't ever one for meditation but here he is, on the roof, trying to will his flames to hold on just a bit longer. He knows for sure Lal is the only one who still has to see go Verde, and then they'll be free to do and _go_ wherever they want — he sure as hell fucking hopes so anyway.

He's looking up at an orange colored sky without really seeing it, focused on his breathing exercises. He comes sooner usually when he wants to see the sunrise, when the world is still colored in a dimmed blue, but it's yet too soon for them to fall back fully in their old habits.

A gentle breeze ruffles his hair and the leaves of the trees, some animals' noises can be heard from the forest around the mansion, and Skull could be lulled right back to sleep if he isn't careful. It doesn't sound like a bad idea but it isn't why he came up there.

The roof is comfortable though, thanks to the cushion-type eaves and the fluffy layer on the roof tiles. The temperature is just like he likes it too, even if he has only his pajama on.

It's his epiphany about not being alone out there that keeps him awake. Skull makes a face and hopes it isn't Reborn — he really doesn't want to hear about how he needs to be more aware of his surroundings right now, _yet again_.

He turns on his stomach to crawl up the roof, and peers cautiously down its other side. Somebody _is_ there, sat on the eaves, a big pillow supporting their back and a green camo jacket too big for them on their shoulders.

"Lal," he almost shouts, "it's you, you're there, hi." She turns her head to look at him, her battle glasses around her neck, catching the light with their red-tinted lenses. "It's been… a while." He frowns. "Why do I feel like it's been a while ?"

"I was busy with Viper. We couldn't have seen each other much."

"Oh," he says dumbly, "makes sense. It's nice to see you again."

"Me too. I guess."

Well that was uncalled for. Skull opens his mouth to tell her just that, but the little smile at the corner of her lips stops him. When Lal turns back to her — is that a book ? — he's not sure what to do. What he _wants_ to do.

He doesn't particularly feel like having company but doesn't exactly wish to be alone either. And he feels actually quite happy to see her again properly, to his own surprise.

He makes his way over in a crab-like posture and sits at her side. He waits a bit to see if she'll say something, swaying his feet back and forth, but she only glances at him before getting back to her book.

Skull doesn't stay quiet for long. "You were busy how with Viper ?"

"They're helping me to master my Mist flames."

"_What_ ?" Lal flinches at his loud voice. "You were _training_ ? But the pain —"

"Skull —"

"— Verde isn't' going to be happy about it. Or Reborn. Or —"

"Skull, shut _up_." Skull clicks his mouth shuts. They both strain their ears, but thankfully it doesn't seem he woke anyone up. Lal glares at him. "We were just doing theory alright ?" She shows her book as evidence, and he doesn't catch the title but he guesses it's about Dying Will Flames. Skull had no idea these types of books existed. "That and harmless, insultingly easy exercises. Nothing to lose your mind over."

Skull huffs despite the light flush on his cheeks. "Well sorry to worry about you."

Something flashes in her eyes he can't name but she stays unfazed overall. She still keeps her eyes on him, and when it doesn't look she plans to stop anytime soon, Skull turns away first. He lies down, and when she looks away too it's his turn to glance at her here and there.

Lal goes through three more pages of her book before she smashes it closed with a sigh.

"No Skull, I will not ask you to help me with my Cloud flames." The finality in her voice makes his hackles rise, against all reasons and logic.

He bolts upright.

"Why not ?" He almost snaps at her. "I know my flames aren't trained for battles, _I get it already_, but it doesn't mean I don't know how to _use_ them. Only because i'm a civilian — _was_ a civilian by the way — doesn't mean there's nothing worth I could teach you." He pauses to breath deeply, because he isn't _finished_, and Lal takes the opportunity to rest her head on her fist. "And —" She raises her eyebrow at him expectantly, and it throws him for a loop somehow.

"And ?" The word rolls on her tongue.

"And," Skull stutters, his anger turning into embarrassment, "uh, you — you don't know what you're missing." She tilts her head mock-contemplatively. "I'm just saying," he finishes lamely.

"You do have some pride in you then." Lal smirks, and he blushes harder. "Listen, of course I'd want to get my flames ready for battle first and foremost, isn't that obvious to you ? And once I do that, who knows," she pauses, and Skull has the distinct impression she's teasing him, "maybe I might just consider getting the secrets of the Strongest Civilian Cloud in the World."

"Ex civilian," he mumbles. "Whatever." Lal shoves his arm, snorting, and Skull shoves her back. "Oh shut up, I said _whatever_." His face is burning, and he lies back down to subtract himself from her gaze.

"What was that ?"

"Nothing."

"What a man you are."

"I _said_," Skull rises again because he's _such_ a predictable idiot, "I'm glad you're okay and that it's working out for you." He crosses his arms on his chest and tries to hold back onto some dignity. "You know, with your new flames and everything."

"Yeah, I got it the first time."

"Okay," Skull says, trying not to shift because she's looking at him weird again. He breaks down after a minute. "What ?"

Lal blinks, and focuses back on the moment. She smiles. "Nothing. I just realized why Colonnello likes you, and was wondering how I didn't see that coming since the first time we met." She gives him a thoughtful once over before making herself comfortable against her pillow. Skull is glad she speaks again almost immediately. He wouldn't have known what to say to that. "I guess we never talked like that in these two years together. That's —"

"Sad," he hears himself blurting out.

"— _telling_," Lal says.

He shrugs. "Both I guess."

They fall back in a comfortable silence after that. Skull lets himself relax, not fidgeting at all, gazing at the sky. The sun went up a little further, and some noises from the house could be heard. He feels at peace, except not really.

When he sees Lal ready to go back to her book from the corner of his eyes he almost lets her, but he has to know.

"So," he starts. Lal doesn't react in anyway but he knows he has her attention. "Colonnello likes me ?"

Her startled laugh makes him blush all the way to the tips of his ears but he refuses to acknowledge it — or her.

"At least as much as you do, yeah. He likes you," she repeats like he isn't dying of embarrassment already — and smiling, but that's not the point. "And he loves me," she adds casually.

Skull pauses, taken aback. He turns his head so he can look straight into her red eyes. Lal stares back, unblinking.

"I know ? I mean, obviously ?"

She shrugs. "I'm just saying."

"Okay ?" Lal smiles, and it's nothing reassuring.

"Was just saying," she repeats, and Skull doesn't like the sound of that at all. 

* * *

"I don't understand."

"Shhh," Skull complains, even when the TV is unreasonably loud already because _they wouldn't stop talking_.

"Why would she go against her family for this man ?" Fon continues. "For either of them ? You said they only know each other for a few months."

"Love at first sight," he tries half heatedly, making both Viper and Reborn scoff.

"She isn't even choosing the richer one. Why are we watching this ?"

Skull reaches over Fon for a cushion and throws it at Viper. He settles his head back on Fon's lap and ignore the cushion thrown back at him.

"It lacks dead bodies," Reborn pitches in.

"It's a _romantic_ show."

"And ? Since when the two don't go together ?" Skull gives Reborn an exasperated look, sat on his armchair like it's a throne, playing with an empty cup. He became even more critical since he finished his coffee, and he would get up make him a new one if only to shut him up, but Isabella is finally standing against her family for Antonio and he doesn't want to miss it.

"_Why_ are we watching this ? Do you play a role in it Skull ?"

Skull takes a sharp intake of breath. Reborn snickers in his corner, in that way where it sounds like he's trying to restrain himself while leaving no doubt he actually doesn't care at all. He rises on his knees, insulted to no point, so much so that his mouth stays open on words that don't come. There's an out of place sad music coming from the TV, because of Isabella running out of home in a dramatic montage or something.

Fon reaches to him and gently tilts his chin up to close his mouth, a sheepish expression on his face. "Yes, you're right, my mistake." His hand moves higher to smooth his frown with even gentler caresses. "Of course your talents would be wasted in these type of shows."

It leaves him speechless again, cheeks warm, and that's how Viper catches him with their phone, appearing behind the couch. Skull stands up too, his back turned on all three of them, a second away to just flee from the room to never been seen again.

"Aww, you're not leaving because of us, are you ?" Colonnello walks in the leaving room alongside Lal, a teasing smile on his lips. "Oh is that our show ? What happened ?

Skull latches on the new subject. He flops on the armchair Viper vacated. "Hell if I know. Don't ever watch anything with them."

"Don't make us watch boring TV then," Viper says, pushing him aside so they can sit too.

"How did it go ?" Fon is the first to ask.

Lal sits on the couch armrest, looking at the TV with a bored look. "Same as you I guess."

"Verde ?"

The couch bounces when she lets herself fall back on it. "In his lab, where else ?"

A distinct feeling of exasperation and resignation wash over them all at her words, but Skull can't help the small hope blooming inside him anyway. "We'll be free from there starting from tomorrow then, right ?"

He waits for an answer but no one dares opening their mouth, even when he can feel their own optimism through their Bond. Colonnello squeezes beside him on the armchair, and he finds himself sandwiched between the Rain and the Mist.

He thinks he can finally focus on the TV and actually _understand_ what is happening when a pillow lands square on his face.

"Is that Verde's Flame Reading device around your wrist Colonnello ?"

"_Why_ would you throw the pillow at _me_ ?" He whines.

"Again ?" Reborn ignores him, and Skull throws his hands up in the air as best he can in his position.

"It's a modified one. Matched on the same frequency as Lal's or something."

"Poor thing."

For some reason the words make them exchange a loaded glance, not like Skull notices it because he's definitely not looking at either of them. He feels like throwing a pillow of his own but then Reborn will pull out the Leon Gun — or the real one, god forbid, seeing that no one rose yet to go make him another cup of coffee.

He clutches it against his chest instead, and makes himself comfortable against Viper, careful to not lean on them too much because of their healing wound. Isabella is making out with Emilio on the screen, and _how_ did she even get there ? That backstabbing bitch.

Skull thinks it's an accident when Colonnello tugs his shirt. But then he does it again, more insistently, and again, but he doesn't acknowledge him. Colonnello shifts until he has his chin resting on his shoulder.

"Don't pout at me." His hot breath ghosts over his bare neck, and he shivers. "Come on, pretty please ?" He jabs a finger at his lower back playfully but Skull stands his ground. He holds his breath when he shifts again to get closer. His lips brush over his ear and he has to bite the inside of his cheek.

Lal sighs, loud and angry and frustrated. Colonnello is at her sides immediately, pushing her feet to the floor, and Lal straightens up to make him a place on the couch.

"What is it ?"

"What do you want me to start with ?"

Colonnello rolls his eyes but draws her closer. He brushes her hair aside, tucks it behind her ears, and slides his hands down to her neck. He strokes her jawline gently with his thumbs. "We'll live."

Lal's scowl doesn't change in any way and Colonnello's smile only grows softer. He leans down to kiss her scar, sweet and slow, then tucks her head under his chin.

Skull can feel the other looking at each other but he can't look away. When Lal catches him staring, she gives him a smile as foreboding as the one sooner that morning.

Skull _really_ doesn't like the sight of it one bit. 

* * *

Lunch stays a quiet affair, even with most of them there. None of them are of the morning, that's one of the few things they can all agree on.

Verde looking at them intensely from his perch on the counter top isn't part of their usual routine.

"This is a bit anticlimactic."

"Just get on with it Verde," Reborn says."

"Was there a new development I wasn't made aware of ?"

"_Verde_."

The scientist hums thoughtfully, takes a sip of his coffee. He doesn't push. "Well like I said, there's no need to stay confined in the mansion anymore. That's for the long story short. But before I get into the details, I'd like everyone to be here so I won't have to repeat myself. Where's Lal and Colonnello ?"

Reborn slurps his pasta uncharacteristically loudly and Viper isn't quick enough to left the kitchen. "Fucking, perhaps."

The tables shakes and Skull's plate almost topples over. He looks over at Fon, then down where he stabbed the table with his spoon. He does a double take just to be sure, but yes, it really _is_ a spoon stucked deep in the wood.

Viper sits back down obediently with their plate.

"Careful there, you almost spilled your tea."

"That was very impolite Reborn."

The hitman shrugs. "Verde asked, I only gave him what I thought to be the most likely answer. Don't you agree ?" Fon's spoon disintegrates in his hand and Reborn purposefully doesn't look at it. Viper and him exchange a look. "I mean they're young, and in love, and just went through a Curse. Not to say, we're only just starting to get back our energy. That's a _whole month_ of abstinence and — "

Skull chokes on his spoonful — forkful ? —, and quickly takes another one when Fon stares him down while smiling ear to ear. He reaches for Viper under the table, so they can mist him away too when Fon and Reborn start going at each other.

Verde has the good idea to break the tension. "I see, so _this_ is what happened." He's the only one to turns towards him, while the Storm gets up to look for another spoon. "Interesting."

"What is ?"

"You know." Skull scowls, picking at his food, not so amused anymore.

Viper sounds deceptively unbothered. "You talk like you have nothing to do with this."

"_Interesting_," Verde says again.

When Colonnello and Lal come in the kitchen, there's thankfully nothing about them that corroborates Reborn's suspicions. Fon still can't look at them in the eyes, and it's the most adorable thing to witness. 

* * *

Lal and Colonnello start spending time together, and they don't take it smoothly at all.

It's weird to see her in a relationship — just weird, not surprising. It was pretty obvious that the idiot-student she occasionally talked about — and more and more the more time they spent together — was her boyfriend, even for Skull, and way before she actually qualified him like that. When Colonnello showed up — in the worst of circumstances —, he doesn't know what he expected but it isn't _this_.

It makes sense though. Lal isn't shy about her feelings nor about expressing them, makes it pretty obvious who are the people she cares about and who aren't. She gets embarrassed about it, and doesn't stand when people comment on it, sure, but her life isn't stable enough for her to hold herself back.

And Colonnello is, well, _Colonnello_. It makes sense that whoever would end up as his girlfriend would be decently up to physical affection at the very least.

All that to say they're attached at the hip. Wherever Lal is, Colonnello is too and inversely. If not, they're not too far away from each other, or they know exactly where the other is. When they _do_ have to leave each other's sight, it's never without a goodbye kisses from Colonnello to whichever body part is the closest, be it Lal's cheek or temple or shoulder or hand.

They sit legs entangle with each other, or sprawled over each other, or with Colonnello's head on Lal's lap with her hand in his hair, moving in a practiced and efficient pattern if the way the Rain's bond always end up purring is any indication. They are words too murmured at each other's ear Skull is glad he doesn't hear, because god knows what it is they're saying.

It's sweet. It helps both of them too. Lal spends more time with them apart from training with Viper, and eases back in their familiarity from Before. They're working out whatever there is between them too. Skull isn't sure what, but the more spontaneously and without hesitance they reach for each other, or talk, or joke, the more obvious it is there _is_ — was ? — in fact something wrong.

They're still to witness any making out sessions, to the utter relief of all of them. Which is a bit ridiculous because they're not some hormonal teenagers anymore, and certainly were in making out sessions of their own — or were they ? Skull knows he was, and Reborn definitely was too, but he actually doesn't know when it comes to the others.

Skull doesn't mean to watch, really, but his eyes are drawn to them despite himself. They're drawn to their displays of affection, their playful banters, their silent conversations. The others don't far much better, which is only a poor consolation. He would feel bad to show himself so interested in their relationship, but it's obvious they couldn't care less of where they are or who are the people they're with — to Viper's increasing irritation.

They all come quickly to the conclusion that this is their new normal now, and they'd better get used to it. It can't be that hard anyway.

(Skull thinks it's a bit sad the way they look at them with something akin to awe and surprise and skepticism.) 

* * *

They don't get used to it.

It's sweet, and heartwarming, and whatever else synonyms there are.

It's mostly frustrating as hell because Lal is merciless, and as it turns out quickly, she knows _exactly_ how to keep Colonnello's focus on her. _All the time_.

It doesn't even involve keeping him away from them, which is just adding insult to injury. The Rain still checks up on them, do small talks, they eat together and share the same rooms. It always goes well too until their interactions start to turn into a meaningful one and Lal — Lal barely has to lift her little finger to stop it, actually.

She wavers her flames slightly, clears her throat, sighs or hums, reaches for him. When she can a simple look is all it takes, either that or saying his name in this particular intonation they're all learning to recognize.

When they start to fight back and on days she feels particularly shameless, she plays with her pacifier or draws attention to her scar. On days she doesn't give any fucks at all she just throws herself at him in a clear demand of attention, and Colonnello is always eager to comply.

All that to say, Skull is _not_ happy about this decrease of bonding time with the blond.

"You're staring."

"At least I'm not the one studying them and taking notes."

Verde makes a dismissive noise and looms in his back where he is leaned against the doorway kitchen. Skull tuns out the scratching of his pen and looks back at the couple, in the middle of making a cake of some sort. He can't tell who is teaching who because they're both fucking around, and it looks like a scene of some comedic, romantic show.

"Maybe we _should_ stop staring at them."

Fon gets ignored by the both of them, leaned against the doorway opposite him. Colonnello stands behind Lal to help her whisk the eggs, half hugging her, and he has to roll his eyes. What kind of Strongest in the World can't whisk some eggs without help ?

Reborn walks in the kitchen and leans against the wall because he always has to one-up everybody. "Aren't they cute ?" he says, and it's hard to say if he's serious or not. Lal's indignant scream makes Colonnello laughs, and she tries in vain to smudge his face in chocolate too. She blushes bright red when he licks it from her cheek. "Don't you agree Viper ?"

Skull glances sideways where the Mist appears in the middle of the doorway. "Let's just do something about it already."

A silent agreement passes between them, while the two Rain are too busy mock-fighting-but-actually-flirting with each other.

The cake turns out delicious, and Skull wants to throw his slice at Lal's taunting face. 

* * *

Apparently when Viper said "Let's just do something about it already." they didn't mean it as a team effort. Which, to be fair, is entirely Skull's mistake. What do these guys know about team work after all ?

Stabbing people in the back, on the contrary…

Reborn comes down for breakfast the next morning looking like he didn't sleep all night, dark bags under his red eyes and skin pale. He has his suit on but it's all rumpled, hair messy and fedora nowhere to be seen. His flames send the familiar warning of "Breathe and Die" of Reborn's bad days, and Skull is surprised for all of a split-second.

Then he feels a deep sense of outrage.

It's makeup. _He'd know_, and it is. Or maybe it's Leon, who's suspiciously nowhere to be seen too, but he's not sure it's part of the chameleon's skills.

Point is, _it's all_ _**fake**_. Reborn stumbles onward anyway, bumps against Colonnello's chair and topples over him like some damsel in distress, straight on his lap.

"Woah there, what kind of night did you spend ?" Colonnello catches him by the waist to steady him, and Reborn takes it at his cue to sit straighter and sling an arm around his neck. His chair scrapes backwards to make room for them. "Your chair is right over there you know."

"How cold," the hitman drawls lazily. "Can't you see I'm in desperate need of food ?"

"Just you try to steal my food, see if I'm not gonna stab you faster than you can blink."

"Tempting."

"Just shut up." Reborn gets manhandled so Colonnello has his head above his shoulder and both of his arms around his waist.

He goes back to his breakfast without others comment, and Reborn seems content enough to just lean against him for someone "in desperate need of food", while his scrambled eggs are forgotten at the other end of the table. He stares right into Skull's soul and gives him the most Reborn smirks of all times, then at Lal beside him, whose swift smirk makes him falter a bit. They both blink at her, not sure of what they've just seen.

Colonnello is done with his first toast when Reborn raises his hand without looking and _tugs_ at his hair. He hisses sharply.

"You _bastard_. What the hell ?"

The sweet smile on the hitman's lips grows wider when he slowly tugs again. Skull wants to clear his throat to remind them that _they're right there_, lost in each other eyes as they seem to be, and what kind of uncomfortable position is that anyway ?

He wants to do much more than that really but he keeps his mouth shut. Reborn leans in close, and then _closer_, and all of them freeze.

"Food," he whispers, practically against Colonnello's lips.

The blond lets a long suffering sigh. "Yeah yeah, I get it, Jesus." He rolls his eyes and snatches Reborn's hand away from his hair. The hitman leans away, and Skull releases his grip around his fork.

He gets up to search for another, not bent one. 

* * *

It happens again later that day. Reborn is one thing, but _Fon_ — Skull actually feels betrayed.

He's on his way to the garage to go out for a bit when he spots Verde lurking in front of Fon's ajar door. He makes note to sit all of them down for a long time overdue discussion on creepy and stalkerish behavior, but he has more urgent matter to attend at the moment.

He gets on his tip toes to take a peek too, a hand against the wall to steady him. Fon is sat at his desk, products of some sort and a mirror in front of him, his hair loose and wet, tumbling over the chair. Colonnello stands behind him.

"Do you want to know ?" Verde asks in a low voice.

"Sure," Skull says. Know your enemy better than your friend and all that.

"Fon was coming from the training room. Hair loose and damp, even if I built the bathroom with all the necessaries utilities. He lurked near the stairs from some time, until Colonnello's voice was heard in the hallway up there." Skull holds back any comments. He knows already where this is going and he really should have seen it coming. "They exchanged a few words, during which Fon looked inexplicably irritated and dejected. He'd just come out from a training session after all. They both went into his room after that."

"He tricked Colonnello to braid his hair for him."

"It seems more like they're going over a whole hair routine." Verde huffs what sounds suspiciously like a laugh. "Isn't this all amusing ? The Seven Strongest, all reduced to…" Skull looks up when nothing else comes, and is barely spared a glance. "I haven't decided on a term yet."

He rolls his eyes and gets back to… collecting information. And indeed after drying his hair with a towel, and combing them with his fingers, Colonnello applies now some sort of lotion on Fon's long black hair. Is it even _really_ part of his hair routine ? Skull wouldn't bet on it.

Colonnello is careful with his task, moving his hands up and down slowly, a serious but pleased expression on his face. Fon is busy with some calligraphy, looking up here and there to directs him or monitor his progress.

They work in silence like that, through the lotion and the actual brushing up to the braiding part, exchanging a few words from time to time. They both look content, and cozy, and like they could stay there for hours. There's certainly a lot of brushing and stroking and carding hair between each failed braid Colonnello makes.

Skull strains his ear when the conversation gets animated.

"— just don't entangle my hair alright ?"

"I won't," Colonnello mock-pouts, even if what he is doing right now doesn't look much like anything to Skull. "Wouldn't want you to become wary of me like Lal. She never lets me experiment."

"Really ? How else are you to get better ?"

Colonnello sighs. "You tell her." Fon tilts his head up, an amused look on his face, and the blond's hands immediately moves up to play with his fringe. He gives him a cheeky smile. "Well, I guess I'm not that good."

"Your words, not mine."

They laugh together, and Skull falls back on his feet. Verde grumbles when he stirres him away from the room but doesn't fight it. A door closes in their back, making them pause, and Skull is pretty sure it was Lal's.

He _does not_, as a matter of fact, find all this amusing at all. 

* * *

Skull comes back at sunset, refreshed and his mood lighter. He walks past Lal on cooking duty, and has the urge to turns around when he notices a dark hood and blond hair on the couch.

He keeps walking, and here they are, not really snuggled against each other, but they might as well be since he's talking about Viper. Colonnello is slumped against the couch while they have their head on his shoulder and their legs drap over his lap. It doesn't look too comfortable to Skull but it doesn't matter much he guesses.

"Welcome back," Colonnello greets him. "You missed the first few episodes."

"Of what ?" He asks, but then turn to the TV where their show is on. "Oh."

"Viper bought the tapes. They said if it was to become a recurring thing they might as well know what's happening. They said they were going to fetch you since we didn't see the beginning either, but you were already gone."

"Oh ?" Skull didn't see a shadow of the Mist. "Did you ?"

"We must have missed each other. That's too bad." They don't sound disappointed at all but he doesn't want to give them the satisfaction of him pointing it out. "Want some ?" They shake a bag of chips at him and he shakes his head in turn.

Viper takes one, for themselves he thinks first, but offers it to Colonnello instead, who gobbles it without a second thought. Skull _knows_ the Mist is looking straight at them when they lick their fingers, one by one.

"Stop tempting me," Colonnello jokes. "I'm on a strict diet."

"'Diet'," Vper mocks. They jab a finger at his chest, and let it slide downwards. "For what ?"

Skull flops in the armchair. He catches almost nothing of what's going on the TV. Lal glances at them from time to time from the kitchen, but looks content to not intervene.

Good for her. 

* * *

First thing he does the next morning is to corner Verde before he can lock himself in his lab before breakfast. He catches him in extremis, and holds himself back to berate him. Verde looks a lot more healthy than a couple of days before, now that he actually sleeps and eat, but he still has a long way to go.

He takes a deep breath to give himself courage. "Be frank with me Verde okay ? You're the only one I can still trust."

"Yes, I heard you perfectly the two other times. Get to the point."

"Why don't you put some chairs out here ?"

Verde levels him with a deadpan look but Skull is actually serious. He makes them wait for hours at time before he lets them in his labs. They could be sitting comfortably right now instead of facing each other, stand against the wall.

"Does it have to do with Colonnello, by any chance ?"

"You're the only one that I can still trust," he says again. "I need to know your intentions."

Skull immediately regrets his particular choice of words when Verde lips curls upwards. "And here I thought Lal was the girlfriend."

"This is not — we're not talking about this." The blush on his face isn't helping him right now but he ignores it. "_We're not talking about this_. Just listen —"

"Why don't you simply throw himself at him too, if it bothers you that much ?"

"I don't _need_ to throw myself at him."

There's a beat of silence during which Skull himself is thrown aback by his own words. Then Verde takes his notebook out of his pocket and writes god knows what in it.

"Interesting statement," he says out loud. "Uncharacteristically bold, too."

"I'm always bold," he mumbles to deaf ears.

"I understand even less your irritation," Verde continues smoothly. "If you don't feel threatened by the others, then what ?" He frowns, and Skull shifts uneasily under his scrutinizing gaze. "Is it that perhaps… you feel like the only one worthy of his attention ?"

"_What_ ?" He widens his eyes. "No, of course not ! It's not —"

"Possessiveness then ? Is it your Cloud instincts which are taking over ?"

"What the _fuck_ are you talking about ?" Verde opens his mouth but he doesn't actually want to know. "No, shut up, let's just stop talking about this. This isn't even what I came here to talk about, _how_ did we get there ?"

He steps back when Verde steps forwards, _fast_, and gets in his space. His back bumps against the wall and there is a pencil pointing right in between his eyes. "You came here for advice —"

"Not really, I —"

"— and I can't give you ones that are helpful if I don't know the facts. _So_," he shrinks back at his tone, and hides his fidgeting hands in his pockets. "Deal with your jealousy on your own, I need to prepare some materials."

Skull chokes on his spit, in his hurry to lunge in a long denial speech, and Verde takes the opportunity to turn on his heels and enter his lab.

He goes after him, bangs on the metal door. "I am not jealous, do you hear me ?" He screams. "I'm not fucking jealous and if you don't open the door I'm gonna keep banging on it until you do."

Skull has to bang on the door for a whole two minutes for the scientist to surrender to his threat. He doesn't look happy to see his face again.

"You didn't answer me."

Verde sighs and pushes his glasses back up his nose. "I need data I can collect in an environment I have total control on, don't you think ?"

Skull blinks. "What the hell does that mean ?"

"I have a training session planned later today. With Colonnello. To get an idea of his skills and see how best we could use them in our missions." His incredulous and betrayed look doesn't seem to affect the scientist much. "It'll surely take us a few hours, but you understand the necessities of it, don't you ?"

Verde squeezes his shoulder, nods solemnly, and oh, he's fucking with him isn't he ? Skull doesn't need any other motivation to throttle the man but the smirk at the corner of his lips is his loss.

He opens his mouth only to have the door shut on his face. 

* * *

Skull is _not_ jealous, and he is _not_ sulking, and he is not trying to avoid everyone by locking himself in the garage either. He's working on his motorcycle, he just has to come up with another way to improve it first before he can start.

He drums his fingers on the handlebar, thinking over it, and definitely not on how miserable he is, and how he's not doing anything about it, and how stupid he is to not do anything about it.

It's not like Colonnello and him are on bad terms. They could just talk about it — or, well, _he_ could talk to him, he is the one being weird after all. Too bad it isn't a conversation he sees himself having, least of all with him.

Skull slumps forward and rests his forehead on his arms. The door opens behind him and he bites back a sigh.

"Busy." The door closes but footsteps draw near and stop in front of him.

"Yeah I can see that."

Skull shoots upright and Colonnello jumps back. He raises his hands in the air. "Woah, sorry, sorry. Were you actually busy ? Like, doing mental gymnastics or something ?"

"No — I mean yes ! I mean…" he trails off, lets his hands fall to his seat. "You can stay." The air between them is tense for a few seconds before Colonnello steps forward to rest his arms casually on the handlebars. He's in a black tank top and gray jogging pants, and smells like strawberries and mint. "Do you come from your training session with Verde ?"

"Yeah, it wasn't much fun. He's a fucking tyran."

"They all are. Are _you_ ?" He adds as an afterthought. Colonnello only smiles at him and he rolls his eyes. "Yeah you're right, I don't want to know." He gets shoved backwards, and uses the momentum to slide in his backseat. He sits cross-legged on it and taps his free seat as an invitation. Colonnello takes it without a word, and Skull _has_ to take notice of his _great_ profile.

"So." The blond isn't looking at him. "You're avoiding me. No It's okay," he cuts him off before he can even say a word," I was avoiding you first after all."

"You were ?" Skull blurts out before he can stop himself. He curls on himself without realizing, a lump in his throat. Colonnello might as well have punched him in the guts.

He was avoiding him ? _Why_ ?

Colonnello winces. "Yeah, but it's nothing — and it's definitely not you. I was just being stupid. Embarrassingly stupid. Lal-went-off-on-me stupid. Actually," he chuckles a bit, "so stupid I didn't realize it before Lal went off on me."

Skull tries for a smile but it can't look much convincing, not like the Rain is looking in the first place.

"Anyway —"

"Hold on, hold on a second. _Anyway_ ?" The blond straightens up, a guilty expression flashing across his face. He glances at him. "Either you said too much or not enough. You can't just left it here."

"I was actually hoping —" Colonnello averts his eyes and Skull jumps on his feet to stand in front of him. There's a slight blush on his cheeks and oh, he has to get to the bottom of it.

He tries for stern and intimidating with his hands on his hips, and fails, if Colonnello's smile is anything to go by. He stands his ground anyway, and lets the silence takes over the room, waiting for a confession which doesn't come.

He turns around after a moment to see what it is that keep drawing Colonnello's focus, and going by the tremor of his flames he's on the right track. There's not much to see though. This side of the room is completely bare, exceptionally so, so they can line up their vehicles against the wall. There's a few that are Skull's, some Reborn's, and the van they use for missions or on the rare occasions they go out together.

Skull looks up to the blue and black wall — he'd get to paint the garage fully at some point, he swears —, but there's nothing unusual on it. He goes back to the vehicles, stops his gaze on an all black motorcycle.

"It's Reborn's motorcycle," he states the obvious.

"I know. Nice gift."

He turns back to Colonnello. "I wouldn't call it that. He kind of forced my hand, you know how he is."

"Still, he likes it. It's nice," he says again, and Skull crouches because he still _isn't looking at him_. He rests his hands on Colonnello's knees.

"Do you want a motorcycle ?"

"Not really," is the immediate response, and Skull almost gets frustrated. He has no idea what is happening, and was never much of an investigator to begin with. Although…

"Do you — do you want _me_ to gift you a motorcycle ?" Baby blue eyes find his purple ones, _finally_, and Skull catches Colonnello by his chin before he can look away again. The blood rushing to his face is all the answer he needs.

Oh.

"Maybe."

_Oh_.

Colonnello's scowl looks more like a pout, and Skull's laugh just spills out of him. His eyes crinkle, and even to his own ears his laugh sounds like relief, and incredulity, and happiness. He bites his lip to try to muffle it when Colonnello looks ready to physically shuts him up, and stands back up to put his hands on his shoulders lest he tries to flee from the situation.

"You just needed to ask you know ?" He chuckles some more. "What color do you want ?" He twirls a strand of blond locks around his finger. "Yellow maybe ?" His hand slides up to brush the line of his cheekbone. "Blue ?"

"I like green."

Skull leans down until their foreheads touch. "Green it is then. One green motorcycle for you."

"Yeah ?"

"Sure. Anything for you."

They both freeze. Skull never had the tables turn on him that fast. He wishes for the floor to open and swallows him whole, but only get Colonnello's big, wide grin spreading on his face.

"That's not — it was just a figure of speech." Colonnello's hand on his mouth hide nothing of the delight on his face. "No, listen, it's true, I didn't mean it like that." A tremor runs through his body and he leans forward to hide his face against his chest. His shoulders are shaking. Skull groans, and hides his own face in his hands. "Let's just never talk about this ever again."

Colonnello's laughter is the only answer he gets. 

* * *

Skull slams the door behind him and walks forwards like he owns the place. He tries to not look around too much, steps above clothes and weapons alike, which only put in relief the spotless area around the desk opposite him, at the room's left corner.

The bed bounces when he drops on it, lying flat on his stomach. Lal crosses her feet on his back from where she's leaning against the headboard. She throws her book at him but he dodges it.

"You got some nerves. I could have been changing you know ?"

"I knocked !"

"I didn't say you could come in. What do you want ?"

Skull huffs but only on principle. He feels too happy right now to take any digs the other might throws at him at heart. He raises on his elbows.

"Colonnello do likes me, doesn't he ? You might want to make a deal with me."

"Only you ?" She smirks when he stays tellingly silent. "Felling possessive already, aren't you ?

Skull averts his eyes. "Not at all. I just want you to give him back some space. With who he'll decide to share it with is — Hey !" He yelps, and Lal kicks him in the ribs again.

"First of all, I'm not taking anybody space. Colonnello chooses to share his space with me in his own free will. Second of all, no."

"Oh come on !" He gets on his knees and crawls towards her side. "You proved your point already, pretty sure we got it _crystal clear_." The smug expression on her face awakes thing in him but he bravely ignores it. "Besides, you already have him all to yourself every night, it's not like — like — okay, what ?"

"Nothing," she says, but her lips keep twitching and the gleam in her eyes doesn't spell anything good for him. Skull raises his eyebrows. "I just didn't know you already wanted to find your way to his bed."

He hasn't the time to process her words that Lal is already laughing, bright and loud and on the acute side, and he glances at the door afraid a certain blond would choose this moment to come in. The door stays thankfully close but Lal only seems to laugh harder everytime she peers up at his face.

In despair Skull tries to suffocate her with a pillow and gets elbowed for his troubles. Lal flips them around and suddenly he's the one trying not to die of lack of air, except she is much more efficient than him. She alternates between pressing the pillow against his face and hitting him with it, but at least she's not laughing anymore.

Skull tries hard to not think about how she's straddling him.

He takes a deep breath when she puts the pillow away. "Alright, you're right. I'm not insecure enough to give a damn about all of you swooning over him."

"I'm _not_ —"

"But it's still not happening, I'm not going to make it easy for any of you." Skull tries to not show his disappointment too much but Lal's unimpressed look tells him he's not succeeding. "That said —"

He almost winces at how hopeful he sounds. "Yeah ?"

"— you can come share our bed on Tuesdays nights I guess."

The deafening silence rings in his ears, and is apparently affecting only him because Lal looks as casual as ever. She looks expecting too, but Skull's mouth is dry, and stays like that no matter how many times he swallows.

He uses his arms absentmindedly as a shield when she lowers back the pillow to lean on it. Her hair falls down like a curtain on either side of his face.

"Oh, tough in affairs I see." She sighs, but he can tell she's totally enjoying herself. "Fine then, Tuesdays _and_ Fridays nights. What do you say ?"

His voice comes out as a pitiful little thing. "Sure." He clears his throat, but can't bring himself to say more.

"Great. You'll be the middle spoon."

Skull _rips_ the pillow from her and hides his face with it. Lal just bursts out laughing again.

Tomorrow is tuesday.

* * *

**\- so maybe lal wanted to make it clear who is the one colonnello cares about the most in the house. but maybe she only wanted them to learn to not take her boyfriend's affection for granted. or maybe she wanted for them to take the initiative and give him some love too**

**\- most likely it's all three at once because she is a badass like that****\- colonnello knows exactly what all of them are doing too but hell if he is going to let them know that (also jealous colonnello is jealous lkfvlwfùmll)**

**\- jealous skull is SO jealous qfmijglbhskwlm ! also he is pinning hard already isn't he ? he is leaps and bound before the others in getting colonnello's favors tho (apart from lal), and the ohters might want to get their shit together**

**(- flustred skull is really flustred too uh?)**

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**Welp, there is Lal's chapter. Can you believe I complained about Verde's chapter ? This one was like pulling teeth.**

**You might have found it dialogue-heavy, and with not much of a pace, and a bit rushed too maybe (which would be pretty fucking ironic), but at least it's long ? I'm cleary not much satisfied with it, but at least it's there right ? I might or might not edit it at some point in the future.**

—

**We're doing pet names next ! Let me know all of the ones you can come up with because i can come up with only, like, three lmaoo. Also tell me which one you'd see best use on whom, i'll take notes of it ! And i don't know when the next chapter will come out because i'm inspired for others fics right now, but i'll be working on it.**

—

**(do you guys know i published a hogwarts au with the arcobaleno ? because i did that.)**

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**I hope you like it. Any and all review are appreciated. Thank you for reading !**

**\- w.h**


	7. Pet Names - Skull

Skull feels a bit embarrassed when a door opens in his back, wrapped in his blanket in the dark hallway as he is. He's under no illusions the others already know about his routine when he can't sleep, but he never had to interact with any of them before—which is actually a bit suspect now that he thinks about it.

He turns around.

"Skull?"

"Colonnello. Hi."

"Was that you the other three times too?"

"Nothing," Skulls says quickly. "Nowhere. It wasn't me."

"What?"

"What?"

It looks like Colonnello is squinting his eyes at him from the doorway but he isn't sure. He looks like he is shirtless too, and maybe Skull should draw closer so they don't have to speak louder than they have to. "You can't sleep?"

"I'm fine."

Colonnello leans against the door's frame. "It's working then? Whatever it is you're doing? You just have to do it multiple times, is that it?"

"That was uncalled for." He pouts, making Colonnello huffs a laugh.

"Wait here." He disappears in the darkness of the room and Skull actually doesn't move, guilty enough to have woken him up in the first place. He doesn't wait long before Colonnello comes back. "Come here."

"Come where?" Skull says dumbly.

"Where do you think? Inside."

Skull wraps his blanket around him tighter but doesn't move a muscle otherwise. Doesn't Colonnello sleep with Lal? It's most definitely Lal's room he's looking at.

He thinks to make a run for it when Colonnello comes his way and puts an arm around his shoulders. It's what, two a.m? He wouldn't have the energy to chase him, would he?

Skull is still bouncing the idea around in his head, even when already standing in front of their bed. The other idea bouncing around in his head is less of an idea and more of a growing sense of panic.

The lump in the bed moves, and Lal's head peaks from under the blanket but her eyes stay thankfully closed. He thinks so anyway, what with the absence of lights in the room.

Colonnello is moving his hand up and down his back. "We have a mission tomorrow, you should try and get some sleep. Go ahead." He pushes him gently forward and his legs bump against the mattress. "Get in the bed."

Wait, he's going to be the _middle spoon_?

Skull looks back discreetly at the door but ultimately folds his blanket and puts it at the foot of the mattress. He gets in the bed, Colonnello following quickly after him, and he scoots back to give him space. "Are you going to drown me in Rain flames or something?"

"Do you want me to?" Colonnello whispers back. He is lying on his stomach, his head resting on his crossed arms. "I just thought it would help having someone with you, you know? That way I can wake you up too if it comes to that." Skull doesn't answer, keeping the warm he feels inside to himself. Colonnello moves closer, almost nose to nose, and he realizes absentmindedly that he's used to this by now. "You're not wearing any makeup." He brushes his hair aside to better see his face, uses the momentum to graze at the contour of his ear down to its lobe, and slides his fingers further down to his bottom lip. They feel cold and calloused against his skin. "No piercings either."

Skull turns away from him because he's not _that_ used to this yet. He regrets it when he finds Lal looking right at his soul, unblinking. She's closer than he would have thought too. The hair all over her face would have been funny if not for her narrowed eyes, but maybe she is just trying to see his makeup-less face better.

He lies on his back, eyes on the ceiling, his arms still crossed on his chest. He can't remember the last time he slept—actually _slept_—with someone else in the same bed. He knows for sure it wasn't with a _couple_ at the very least, and that he didn't end up lying in between them.

What if they're taken with sudden… _urges_ during the night? They wouldn't try to do anything without him noticing, would they? How would that even work? He's _right there_, lying in between them.

Skull bolts upright, making the blanket slides down all three of their bodies. Lal groans, shifting unhappily and kicks him halfheartedly with her _bare legs_.

"Sorry, sorry, I just—" He fumbles around, patting his hands here and there and not actually doing anything. "I don't think I should—" He kicks the blanket down, very carefully not looking Lal's way.

"Skull." Skull considers for a second to ignore him but stops in his movements. "Come on, please? It's fine." He tugs his shirt lightly. "Humor me." Skull gives one last kick but really, Colonnello sounds genuine and hopeful and a bit dejected through his sleepy voice, and he'd love to catch on some sleep if he can.

He lies down with a sigh, and Lal is quick to lift the blanket with her leg to bring it in her arms' reach, her shirt lifting up with the motion, revealing her underwear and some skin Skull _really_ isn't sure he should be privy to.

He turns away, straight into Colonnello's arms who's radiating a smug energy, so Skull counts himself lucky they can't see each other's face like that. Colonnello intertwines their legs together, his arms loose around him, and Skull just… gives up.

He wraps his arms around his waist to bring them closer to each other, nuzzling his neck. He missed this. Stupid Lal and her stupid schemes. He missed _him_.

"'Night baby," Colonnello mumbles in his hair.

"Good night," Skull says, before surrendering to sleep.

* * *

Skull's woken up by Fon being loud and breaking stuff as part of his morning routine, as usual, which he really didn't miss. There's people with him in his bed though, which is less usual, and he almost lets his flames loose before remembering _why_ there's people with him in not-his bed.

Colonnello's hand slides from under the pillow, and Skull hears movements in his back from Lal too. She punches his shoulder. "Don't do that again," she grumbles.

He creaks an eye open, the room thankfully not lit enough by the early sun shining through the curtains to blind him. He's a bit curious about what's hidden underneath the pillows—the typical gun probably—but he is too sleepy to bother with it in the end.

Skull lifts himself up to rest against the headboard, careful not to disturb the blanket too much. He rubs at his eyes, wanting nothing else but to go back to sleep but he knows it's not happening.

Fon breaks something particularly loudly and he smiles a little when Colonnello groans, turning away to bury his face in the pillow. He'll get used to it soon enough. In the meantime Viper's awake too, and Skull could honestly have done without the both of them ganging up on him like that.

He runs his fingers through Lal's mess of black hair, tugging lightly at it. "Viper's awake."

"Your turn."

"I'm kinda stuck there, in case you didn't notice."

Lal turns her head his way, craning her neck just so she can show him her deadpan face. "It's your turn, just get on with it." She lets her head fall back and pushes his legs pointedly away from her. "That way."

Skull is halfway rolling over Colonnello when he pauses. He rises on his arm and scrutinizes what little of his face he can see. Maybe _he_ can go to Viper, why not? He's going to be put on their schedule sooner than later.

Colonnello looks asleep, his chest rising up and down regularly. Skull shakes him a bit but his expression doesn't change. He tugs at his bond then, which he does react at, but in a sleepy way Skull doesn't buy at all.

"You're fucking useless," he whispers in his ear, and Colonnello conveniently hides more of his face in the pillow. Skull rolls over him, making himself as heavy as he can, and sits up at the edge of the bed.

"You weight nothing." Colonnello laughs, poking at his sides. "Do you even eat?"

Skull slaps his hand away. "_Yes_." He is a trained stuntman alright? He does take care of his body, and he has the muscles to show it and everything. "Shut up."

Colonnello snickers, and almost like under some magnetism, the two Rain roll towards each other to cuddle.

Skull retrieves his own blanket and securely hides his whole face with it. He spots the tray in front of Viper's door and goes knock on it first, before making his way to his own room. He does a quick toilet routine, takes care of his hair, then puts his makeup and piercings back on his face.

He is pleased to see Viper sat cross-legged on their bed when he comes in with the tray in his hands. The cloak around them is made of mist as is the hood over their face, which means they're in their pajamas right now.

Skull makes his way carefully to them, not seeing what it is he dodges on the floor, the room empty of anything that isn't necessary furniture thanks to the layer of Mist flames surrounding it. He lets the door ajar so some light can lit the dark room.

He puts the tray in front of them, takes off the plastic wrap of the plate of still warm pancakes. He snatches one strawberry milk's box for himself.

"It'll cost you." Skull just waves the box above his head and lets Viper glares at him. He comes back with the desk's chair and sits close to the bed.

Viper's laptop and their multiple phones were put away neatly on the bedside table, but it doesn't tell him anything. "Busy night?"

"You can say that. There's multiple existential crisis going on right now, it's quite funny actually." Viper doesn't say anything after that, choosing to pick at their pancakes drowned in maple syrup instead.

Skull rolls his eyes. They can all be so dramatic sometimes, but somehow it's only ever him who get teased about it. He slumps in his chair and props one leg on the bed. "Do tell me all about it, Ô All-Knowing Viper."

Skull doesn't miss the warning movement of fork his way. "Triads, Vongola, COMSUBIN—they're all quite restless right now. Giglio Nero too. They're on everyone lips while being the one the others are turning for answers. And of course—" Viper gestures at the both of them, then moves their hand in a vague circle to include the others. They swallow their latest bite— "us."

"What about Vongola?" Skull could see where the others are coming from, and they lied low for a bit too long he guesses, but Vongola?

"Apparently they didn't get any words from Reborn since that day. And you know how Reborn is, he doesn't just cut off his contracts quietly. They're worried, to say the least."

Skull almost chokes on his milk. "Really? _Really_? Oh, these poor bastards." He chuckles. "Reborn will totally have fun with this as soon as he is in the mood for it. Maybe he'll even let us take part in it?"

"Of course you'd want that," Viper says, fiddling with his strawberry milk. "I suppose if he offers a high enough price, I could consider it."

"Oh come on." He throws his empty box their way, but the Mist smoothly redirects its course and lands it on the tray. "You'd pass the chance to give _The_ Vongola a good-old-_terrifying_ scare just because you won't get money out of it? What are you, dead inside?" Skull leans forward, eyes exaggeratedly narrowed as if he's seriously considering his words. Viper lips' twitch, and they don't quite succeed at hiding their amusement from their bond.

They put their empty box down. "You know, I'd forgot how nice it is talking to you when you're not busy overreacting constantly."

"Aw, don't say that." He tries for sad and hurt but the grin on his face is maybe not the best choice for that. "How else am I supposed to get on your nerves and make you guys lose your temper? You know it's the only purpose of my life."

"Fair enough," Viper concedes.

"Not even close, actually." Skull blinks when something shift in the air between them, because he didn't intend to say that. He moves on first when neither of them say anything, taking the tray off the bed to put it on the chair. He claps once. "Alright, time to go to sleep. And remember, now that I can use the Bond I'll know if you try to do anything else but sleeping."

"How scary," the Mist mocks, but gets under the blanket without a fuss. He adjusts it around them once they're settled.

"Want a goodnight kiss?"

"Get out of my room."

Skull mimics a kiss anyway, noisy and exaggerated, and Viper's choked back laugh makes him grin brightly.

* * *

There's an eager energy around the breakfast table that Skull maybe missed a little. It's not like he doesn't enjoy himself on missions—the adrenaline, the thrill of them, the opportunity to get loose, it's all something he looks forward to, too. But the others not shutting up about how "they have to make the mission a success" and how "there's no room for mistakes" right until the last minute is really something he could do without.

He gets to eat some buttered bread with honey crepes and even some olives for once, and the air smells of all the others home-cooked meals Reborn made for them. They still have to find a way to make him cook more often, but the hitman finds more fun in eating their cooking and mocking their inferior skills.

Fon strides in the kitchen last, a small trash bag in his hand he dumps in the bin.

"This is the sin that'll get you in hell," Skull warns him.

"In its deepest pit," Verde adds, bravely trying not to nod off in his plate.

Fon takes his seat across from Skull. "Sleeping in too much isn't good for you. Besides, you'd be less tired if you went to sleep earlier Verde." He pauses before taking his first sip of his tea. "No, both of you actually."

"It's not like I was staying awake on purpose," Skull defends himself.

"We'd be less tired if _someone_ wouldn't wake us up at dawn." Lal glares from the other end of the table. "Just shut up all of you, you're too loud."

"If any of my food ends up anywhere else than your stomach, I won't have any mercy." Skull makes a disbelieving noise before he can stop himself, because when is Reborn ever merciful? Then he uses Colonnello's figure to remove himself from Reborn's view. Besides the fact Reborn is _Reborn_, he's wearing his pajama onesie of the good days, the one with winged bullets with a halo, and he doesn't want to try it.

"Thank you for the food," Fon says, unperturbed as ever.

"You're a despicable human being." Skull deadpans, and gets a sharp, toothy smile for his trouble. He finds it kind of hot, so he ducks his head lest Fon catches on it.

He tuns the umpteenth briefing mission that starts after that, and contents himself with eating his breakfast. He still nudges Colonnello's arm when the others look engrossed enough with whatever part of the briefing they reached.

Colonnello leans his way without looking so he can whisper in his ear. "Did you, er, call me, last night?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, did you call me—" he trails off a second too long and Colonnello turns his head his way—"_not_ by my name?"

Colonnello blinks while Skull tries to find his answer in his eyes. He doesn't want to have to spell it, mainly because he isn't sure it even happened in the first place.

There's a thoughtful expression on Colonnello's face, which he appreciates, but he's becoming really embarrassed by the conversation. Not to say—Skull does a double take to be sure—but the others are totally listening in. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing," he relents, and manhandles Colonnello to look back at his plate. "Forgets it."

Skull keeps his eyes down for the rest of the breakfast while his mind is racing. Did he dream it? He was tired, and Colonnello wasn't exactly making an effort to articulate, and he didn't use Rain flames on him but Lal's room is full of them.

He steals a glance at the blond and tries to swallow the thought that it was just his imagination. It tastes like disappointment.

* * *

The mansion is nowhere near the biggest one he'd seen but it's still impressive, especially shadowed by the darkness of the night. The security is deemed decent enough too, if Reborn's face is anything to go by. Not thought of enough to be consider a challenge, but not lacking enough that the usual disdain and disinterest make an appearance.

He's waiting with Colonnello and Reborn to be allowed in, at a safe distant from the guards who have their guns pointed at them. Viper and Lal are to cover the exits so their targets can't run away when everything will go down, while Fon and Verde already sneaked in.

"Alright," Reborn says, "let's go over the plan one last time." Skull rolls his eyes hard, and keep them upwards begging the Lord to have mercy on him.

Colonnello badly hides a laugh but sides with Reborn anyway. "Even the little of slip up can lead to the most catastrophic scenario, you know. You can never be too sure."

"But not every plan go smoothly, not even the good ones."

"Ours do, Lackey. That's what make us the Greatest." Reborn stares him down and dares him to talk back. Skull knows better than to open his mouth. "Good. Tell me what the plan is."

Skull doesn't know better enough that he doesn't sigh pointedly. "Hostage situation, the girl is our first priority, blah blah blah, you guys have to leave the mansion still standing at the end of it, except for those six poor fuckers who did god knows what, blah blah blah, diplomacy and stealth, blah. Blah. Blah." He bows low at Reborn when he's done, taking full advantage that he can't just start shooting at him right now, but doesn't avert his eyes from him.

Reborn takes a step forward. Colonnello steps in between them. "Not now, guys."

"To be fair," Verde says through their earpiece, "it was an accurate retelling of the plan, if not a professional one."

"And who asked for your opinion?"

"Did you really say 'you guys'?" Lal butts in. "Because that's really fucking rich of you, Skull."

"Let's keep our calm my friends. This is indeed really not the time."

Reborn smooths his suit. "I'm perfectly calm Fon, but of course you weren't talking about me."

"Of course not," Viper repeats, and Reborn flares his flames ever so slightly in warning. Skull thinks it set the guard off when they start moving towards them, but they put down their guns instead.

Reborn's mood lifts up. "Show time, guys. Is everyone ready?"

They let the silence speaks for themselves. The general excitement catches on to Skull who doesn't try to fight it. This is it after all.

The Arcobaleno's big come back.

* * *

So much for the Arcobaleno's come back.

Why Skull jinxed himself like that he doesn't know. It has nothing to do with the plan either, so he doesn't even have this small comfort.

The girl panics while she's making her way to Colonnello and Reborn in exchange of Skull. Once she would have been safe they would have focus on their own agenda, while Verde—after taking down their security and jamming their communications—would have extracted her from the house.

The girl panics and starts running for the door. When the Mist in the room tries to mist her back to them, Reborn shoots him down and all hell break loose.

That's what he's been told afterwards anyway, because as soon as the girl started running, the one who was holding him at gunpoint pulled the trigger.

Skull wakes up in his special colorful room in their medical bay, groaning in pain. He doesn't get shot in the head often, but _goddamn_ it's always such a pain to deal with. The bandages around his head doesn't help his headache either, as necessary as they are.

It's late morning, he notices when his eyes land on the window but he doesn't get worried. The more severe his injury is, the more time he needs to walk it off, which Verde always found abnormal. (Skull knows the speed at which his flames heal him hasn't anything to do with how fast _he_ gets back his strength, but he still hasn't had this conversation with the scientist.)

Next thing he notices is the Arcobaleno scattered in the room, _all of them_, which is so very _weird_ he forgets his pain for a second. They stopped doing that a long time ago.

"Hi?" He croaks, prompting Colonnello to rise from his chair to pour him a glass of water. He looks relieved, a genuine smile on his lips if not a little one, but apart from that Skull can't read his expression. Their eyes meet for a second and his heart _sinks_.

Skull is painfully familiar with this look and doesn't understand why it's there because Colonnello _knew_. Of course he did, it's not like he tried to hide it for even one second. It's _literally_ his stage name, even if ironically enough his fans will always be the last to know how literal his stage name is.

The mattress dips when Colonnello sits at the edge of it, and Skull lifts himself up before accepting the glass of water with Sun pills in it. The coated Rain hand running carefully through his hair is a blessing, as much as the water down his throat.

He peaks none-too subtly at the others while drinking. Reborn is leaning against the wall right in front of him, as well as Fon in the corner at his left, and Lal at his right, beside the window. Viper and Verde are sat on a chair at either side of the bed.

Reborn and Verde are the only one to meet his eyes. Viper is doing something so he can't tell when it comes to them, which he knows because their hood never stopped them to guess this kind of things once they got used to it.

Colonnello's face is still unreadable, and he tries to not let his emotions take over him. (They _did_ have the I Am Immortal Talk, didn't they? They did. He _knows_ they did.)

_What the hell happened?_

Skull puts the glass down on the bedside table a bit clumsily.

"There, he's awake, safe and sound." Reborn's voice is deceptively casual, in a dangerous way he rarely uses with them anymore. "Happy now?"

Colonnello's lips twitch in a displeased way. He doesn't look back at Reborn. "Yes, actually. Very. Aren't you?"

Viper stands up with a frustrated sigh. "What more do you want? Skull, tell him you're fine."

"He is _now_."

"Does it matter?" Verde says, and Skull is surprised to realize it still stings him a little. "None of the injuries Skull received since we know him kept him down for long. And it's highly unlikely that any injuries will ever will."

"_This is not the point_." Colonnello rises, and it's clear at his tone they had this conversation multiple times by now. He turns a cold but burning stare on Verde, then Viper, then Lal. She tenses visibly, and shifts a bit faced to whatever she sees on his face. She doesn't look less ready to bite back if needed.

"Isn't it?" Fon tries to pacify them but his voice is strained. He takes a few steps forward. "It's Skull whole thing, he even makes a living out of it."

"Actually—"

"_Lackey_."

Actually, Skull's stunts shows consist mostly of him doing the improbable and always being a breath away from failing. When he does fail, to keep the stakes high and the crowd involved and interested, it's always rehearsed and choreographed to give the _illusion_ he hurt himself. Nowadays, it's a thing that very rarely happens anymore.

Skull doesn't say any of it. Reborn's tone is unforgiving, like it hadn't been since the day they were cursed. He knows this dance of theirs like the back of his mind though. He pouts, shoulders slumping like a kicked puppy, mumbling under his breath.

The mission truly _was_ the Arcobaleno's come back, as it turns out. (The thought leaves him with a sour taste on the back of his tongue.)

Reborn steps forward to face Colonnello. "It's exactly like Fon said. It's what Skull _does_, his contribution to the team. Get over it."

"Maybe he wouldn't if somebody would just bother to _give a damn_."

A tremor shakes their Bond, which then stretches so taut in all seven directions, it's bound to leave marks if they let go. Skull needs a second to realize he actually didn't get slap in the face.

The silence in the room is suffocating.

Colonnello is the first to reach out. He rubs his face wearily before letting his hands fall back with a soft sigh. "I'm sorry," he says to him first. He looks at the others one by one before settling back on Reborn. "I'm sorry. I'm overstepping, without even having all the facts."

He doesn't actually retracts his words, Skull is sure everyone noticed.

He decides it's as good a moment as any to make his retreat.

"Aw, were you guys that much worried about me?" He grins widely, voice loud and cheerful, while getting out of the bed. He puts his boots on and doesn't bother looking for his jacket. "You shouldn't have, don't you know who the Great Skull is?" He straightens up, and raises his eyebrows like they're missing on the most obvious thing. "Well, he's the Greatest of course!"

Some of them looks like they relax a bit at his antics but it might be only his imagination. It doesn't matter. His Great Skull persona always has been first and foremost for his own good. (Colonnello's confused expression would have been funny at any other times, as it always is on the people who meet the Great Skull for the first time.)

He walks past them all without another word, only having enough energy left to keep his cheerful, unbothered expression on. He makes a beeline for his room and comes out of it only when he can't bear his hunger any longer.

* * *

The mission was of course a success. They don't celebrate it.

Skull quickly takes on staying in his room or in the garage as most as he can. It's not even because he is shunned by the others, because he isn't. Quite the opposite in fact.

He is being watched, and not in a what-are-you-up-to-now or don't-do anything-stupid way. They don't just look past him either, letting him fade in the background until he makes himself noticed again. They shared more meaningful glances these last few days than these past two years which is ridiculous, but none of them are in the mood to find anything funny right now.

The others look at him now as if they—will he dare to say it? (He doesn't.)

Skull isolates himself because they're all acting distant with each other—but not cold—, acts normal while at the same time none of them wants to back down first—but no one lashes out—, and he knows he's at the epicenter of it all while actually having no idea what exactly is the issue at hand.

Maybe he isolates himself too because of the voice whispering a touch too loudly for him to ignore it. ("Do they care _now_?" It sounds hurt and resentful and a bit hopeful.)

The others start cornering him because of that. It wouldn't look like that to anyone else, but Skull knows them enough to be certain it's exactly what they're doing.

They come knock at his door at random times to ask random stuff, if he saw this thing they lost, if he's not hungry or if he'll show up at the next meal or what he wants for dinner, if he can come and help with whatever it is they messed up on purpose. Verde mostly finds him when he's in the garage, and pretends he's interested with whatever he's doing to his vehicles at the moment.

They none-too subtly always inquire about his injury too.

Colonnello doesn't cornered him anywhere at all.

Lal finds him one late afternoon while he's in the garage. She stays at the doorway so Skull just keeps painting the wall, back to her.

"Don't fret it too much," she starts with, "he's just thinking. He likes to be alone with himself when he does so."

"What happened?" He says.

Lal sighs. "You got shot. You weren't going to wake up right away, as we all knew it, so we moved on and adjusted to the new development before we could get back to you. Colonnello didn't like it."

"Wait, that's it?" Skull turns to face her, brows furrowed. "I mean I always said it was a bit rude of you, but _that's_ what you're all fighting about?"

Lal lets the silence stretches for a second too long. "Something like that. Once we got back to the mansion and took care of you, he asked all these questions about your immortality and how we dealt with it so far." She scoffs humorlessly. "Needless to say, he didn't much like our answers either."

"Oh." Lal stares at him, maybe waiting for something else but he honestly doesn't know what else to say. She hesitates on the first step, but then walks closer as confident as ever.

She stops at an arm reach from him. "We're not being rude, just pragmatic." She states bluntly. "You remember when we used to protect you whenever you got hurt badly at first, right?" It sounds like a real question, but also like an affirmation, like she's making a point she cares about. He nods, and Lal nods back. "We stopped because it's not like being hurt affects you the same way as everybody else. And when you're on a battlefield—"

"I know," he cuts her off. "I get it," he reassures her again because she looks like she needs it.

Did he already have this conversation with one of them? He doesn't know but he _does_ understand where they're coming from. He would hate for anyone to get hurt protecting him knowing he's the only one who will walk it off anyway.

But sometimes, when he wakes up still in the middle of the action after he blacked out from an injury, when he's hurt too bad and can't move anymore or think properly and the others move on without him, he catches himself wishing someone could be there to smile at him, at the very least.

"It's just, you know—" Skull shrugs—"it would have been nice if you kept doing it."

Lal takes his words in, her brown eyes in his purple ones. She crosses her arms tighter on her chest, purses her lips and looks somewhere past his shoulder.

Skull checks their bond, and for once it's not at him she's angry at. ("Do they _care,_ now?" The voice whispers. It sounds bitter and unsure and yearning.)

* * *

He swears it's a coincidence when he goes in the kitchen for a snack and finds Colonnello already there. He turns from the fridge with a drink in his hand.

"Oh, hey. Feeling better?"

"Yeah, uh, totally." He clears his throat. "I'm all healed, my body just needs to catch up with the news." Colonnello leans against the fridge and opens his drinks. "It's yours, right?" He raises an eyebrow and Skull shrugs. "It's just that we have a strict rule about not touching each other foods or drinks."

"A rule I'm sure everyone follow," Colonnello teases and he laughs.

"As a matter of fact it's the rule we break the least, make of that what you will." Colonnello smiles behind his can, and it's the only encouragement Skull needs to step forwards. He perches himself on the table, not too close but not too far away either from him. "I'm not bothering you, am I?"

"Of course not."

"Lal said you needed to think, so I wouldn't want to…" he trails off, not quite meeting his eyes. Colonnello assesses him for a second then downs his drink in one go. He puts it down on the countertop and plants himself in front of him.

"You're not bothering me. Did you want to talk about something?"

"I thought you knew," Skull blurts out. "About my immortality. I told you about it. Didn't you believe me?"

"What? No—I mean yes, I did. Well—" Colonnello frowns, looking him up and down—"I guess I didn't thought any of you meant it _that_ literally. I would have contented myself with a less... brutal demonstration too."

Skull touches the side of his head on reflex. Colonnello follows the movement with his eyes, and then suddenly he's standing in between his legs and his hand replaced his.

He's looking for a remnant of his wound, his fingers brushing around his hair slowly, but it scared and the scar faded already.

"Won't ever be able to try the bald look, uh?" Colonnello winces and he curses himself mentally. "Right, sorry, too soon." His hand falls back on the table, on his other side.

Skull isn't sure he wants to meet the blue eyes looking at him head on, but he finds he can't look away. He squares his shoulders for whatever Colonnello seems about to say, only for him to lift him up from the table and engulfs him in a hug.

Skull _melts_ against him. He hugs back tight, his hands secure around his neck and doesn't let go. A hand loses itself in his hair while the other stays around his waist, and he snuggles as close to Colonnello as he can. He lets his warm and flames sooth his mind.

"Are you mad?" He whispers in his neck.

"Why would I be?" Colonnello says just as softly.

"Are you scared?"

Colonnello chuckles right against his ear. It sends goosebumps down his spine. "Who'd be ever scared of you?" He teases.

"Are you disgusted?" Skull asks in an even lower tone.

Rain flames flare sharply, then disappear altogether. Skull holds his breath until they're back around him, fierce and protective but still warm and safe. He lets them drown his Cloud flames and gives back as good as he gets.

Colonnello draws back just enough to cup his face in his hands and looks him straight in the eyes. "Of course not baby." He lowers his head until their forehead touch. "Not for one second."

Skull pushes back a little and lets the last of his worries go. The son of a bitch knew exactly what he was talking about this one time at breakfast, but he'd get back to him for that later. For now he goes back in Colonnello's arms, hiding his smile at the little pet name which better sticks around.

They stay like that for a while, swaying back and forth, content to let their flames mingle lazily.

* * *

**A/N: - everyone totally knows skull slept (as in actually sleeping qmslck) with lal and colonnello**

**\- fon just breaks things first thing in the morining, so he can find the patience later that day if needed to not break actual living breathing people. the others can deal with it or die painfully (lol)**

**\- did the others stayed clear of the kitchen while colonnello and skull were having their moment? yeah they totally did haha**

(- f**or a moment i thought they would kiss at the end of the last scene, but it turned out like that in the end)**

**—**

**You might have noticed but i didn't take in account Lal and Skull's deal from last chapter. I chose to go over it differently, I hope it still worked out. I'll edit last chapter to fit with this one at some point. Eventually.**

**—**

**I really like how this chapter turned out. I feel like it's a bit more slow than the others, and in not such a light tone but i'm kind of really proud of it. Take the angst and have some feels. Or is it hurt/comfort? I honestly don't know the difference between the two.**

**—**

**Thank you for the favorites and follows and comments, I hope you liked this new chapter. Any and all review are appreciated. Thank you for reading!**

**w.h**


	8. Pet Names - Reborn

Skull ducks the lightning bolt thrown his way, shielding his book with his body—Lal wouldn't be happy if he gives it back damaged. He lies on his stomach once the danger passed, more comfortable like that on the pristine silver, hard and cold material of their training room.

He looks for the page he was on, taking in the room behind the safety of his helmet. The shooting contest between Reborn, Lal and Colonnello is still going strong; Viper's and Fon's fight seems to be on a halt, Viper nowhere to be seen; and Verde is using each of them as targets for his newly build human killing machines.

Skull likes it better when he trains with his flames directly. Having lightning bolts raining down on them like something out of an end-of-the-world movie is fun, but he isn't complaining. So far none of them look about to make him an unwilling participant of this group training.

Something wheezes past his head, sounds like it breaks the wall behind him, and some rubble bounce against his back.

He turns another page of his book, impatient to get to the Rain's profile part. The Sun's one was hilarious and absolutely not relatable, and he has to slip it in an upcoming conversation near Reborn's ears. Maybe tonight at dinner.

Combat boots enter in his eyesight, and he looks right up to Colonnello's incredulous face. Skull raises his visor when he crouches beside him.

"I said 'watch out'."

"Oh, was that your bullet?"

"It was a _flame_ bullet Skull. You didn't even try to dodge it."

Skull shrugs. "I'm fine." He puts back his visor on, hasn't time to do much else than turning his head to his book again that Colonnello takes his helmet off his head. "Nello," he whines. "Do you want me to die?"

He reaches for it, but Colonnello holds it out of reach. "Do you? Don't you shrug at me, is that supposed to protect you?"

"It's made of Verde's Lightning, so, yes. Give it back please?"

Colonnello smacks his hand away when he makes grabby gestures with it. He sits fully, puts down the helmet in between his crossed legs and pretends to study it. "Why aren't you training with us?"

Skull groans and turns on his side, his back to him. "Can't believe they send you."

"No one send me baby. I'm just curious about you ditching training."

Skull almost rips off a page from his book. "I'm not ditching training, I'm ditching _your_ training, it's not the same. I don't want to talk about it."

Colonnello actually shuts up, which he didn't expect. The silence stretches between them until he can't take it anymore, Colonnello's eyes heavy on him. He slams his book shut and sits up cross-legged, not quite face to face.

"What? What?" he says again, when Colonnello won't talk. "Let's just get this over with."

"You don't look like you actually want to hear it."

He looks away. "I'd just rather not hear you taking their side."

"Which side? The side which cares about your safety?"

It's Skull's time to look incredulous. Colonnello stares right back, not perturbed by the expression on his face.

He snorts. "_Please_ Nello. It's not about my safety, it was never about my safety."

"Maybe not at first," Colonnello suggests.

"Not at first, not after, not ever alright? I just can't look bad while standing next to them. They can't have me staining their almighty reputation now, can they?"

Skull doesn't try for a smile which might tell things he doesn't want it to. Colonnello tilts his head, considering, and he looks away again. His eyes go over the others, and something like bitterness swells in him. He ignores it.

"It's even less about caring," he points out matter of factly. He falls on his back, open his book on a random page too close to his face. "Just go back to your training OK? You're drawing attention on me."

Colonnello stands up right away, and maybe it stings a bit. He snatches his book from him, catches him by his wrists and drags him backwards closer to the center of the room.

"What are you _doing_?"

"Do you know who didn't get a shot at making training fun for you?" Colonnello asks, but doesn't actually wait for him to answer. "That's right, me. And do you know who needs to have an idea your combat abilities? That's right, me again. So guess what?" He pauses and looks down at him, his face all casual and enthusiast and cocky.

Skull has to laugh. "What's happening?"

"Let's have a friendly spar. Hand-to-hand combat, no flames. Land one punch on me and you win." He lowers him down, his hands sliding up to hold his own. "How that sounds?"

Skull actually considers it. He turns on his stomach, crossing their linked hands. His bare skin from where his shirt buckled up touches the cold floor, and he shivers. Colonnello gets on his knees to be more comfortable. "Sounds like I'm being underestimated. _One_ punch? You do know Fon gave me a couple lessons, right? I'm gonna ruin this pretty face of yours."

Colonnello raises an eyebrow. "You do know I know some martial arts myself? Do your worst baby."

Skull bites the inside of his cheek to contain his smile. He doesn't want to give in, because then it'll set a precedent the others will definitely use against him. But then again, if Colonnello and him are going to work together on missions, they do need to know what the other can do.

He lifts himself up on his elbows, wraps his arms around his waist, rests his head against his stomach. "A _friendly_ spar?"

"A friendly spar."

"No flames?"

Colonnello weaves his hand through his hair. "No flames."

"No military-type directives?"

"None." Skull peers up at him, eyes narrowed. Colonnello rolls his eyes. "I can turn off the soldier mode just fine, thank you very much."

Skull chuckles and mushes his face against his shirt. "Don't blame me when you end up crying."

* * *

"Who's crying now?"

Skull bangs his head against the floor. "Are you going to say that every time?" He wiggles to try to free himself, except he doesn't really because Colonnello is sat on his lower back, holding both of his arms behind his back.

"I don't know baby, how many more times do you want to lose?" Skull cranes his neck to give him his best deadpan look, and his smile grows. He wraps one hand around his neck to squish his face back against the floor, the bastard. "You give up? Or you still need me to help you warm up?"

Skull laughs good-naturedly despite himself. "Yeah, yeah, I get it, you win. Let go now."

Colonnello releases both his arms and lets up the pressure, which allows him to turn on his back. Colonnello's ruffled clothes and loose and messy hair are the only proofs of their fights, which is more than a bit frustrating.

"You could at least pretend to be a little worked up."

"How? I can't exactly make bruises appear on my face, can I?" He shifts his weight, leans on his hands on both sides of his head to loom over him, and his face is all Skull can see. "I hope you still find it as pretty as before."

Skull's cheeks heat up, and he bites his lip. "First of all, it's only out of the goodness of my heart it's unhurt. Second of all—" he cups Colonnello's face with his hands, digs his nails into his skin "—I still have hidden weapons on me, so maybe don't try me?"

Colonnello leans in the touch daringly. Skull slowly moves his nails down alongside his jawbone. He makes his way down his neck from there, one of his nail grazing over his pulse. A shiver runs through Colonnello, and they both swallow.

Skull freezes just before his collarbones entirely against his will. Where are they again? It isn't the time for this.

He raises on his elbows instead, looks into obviously disappointed baby blue eyes. "You're still on me," he whispers.

"I know. I have such a great view from there."

"Yeah? Funny, I was thinking _just_ the same."

Colonnello yanks them to the side and makes them roll on the floor a couple of times. Skull looks above his shoulder when they stop, his skin hot from where the gunshot grazed his arm. There's a burnt crater on the floor just where they were seconds ago.

He lets his eyes wander and—oh, of course. Reborn.

"You okay?"

Skull accepts the hand offered to him. "Yeah, thanks." Colonnello still takes a look of his own, strokes his slightly burnt skin.

Skull tries halfheartedly to take back his hand when Colonnello moves to meet Reborn halfway. If the blonde notices, he doesn't show it. They stop a few steps away from him.

"My mistake, did I hurt you?"

"Was that really necessarily?"

"I can't always be on top of my game you know, but I'm flattered you think otherwise," Reborn smirks. "Did I interrupt something?" He looks down at… their linked hands? then at him, his eyes unreadable, before looking back at Colonnello.

Skull steps closer to the blonde, which draws Reborn's attention on him again in a blink-and-miss-it glance.

"Do you _have_ to be like this?" Colonnello snatches Reborn by his tie, lets go of him at the same time. Skull finds it helps with the somewhat tense atmosphere Reborn brought with him. "I see Lal took good care of your jacket."

Reborn's lips twitch in a displeased manner before smoothing back in a smirk. He isn't wearing his jacket. "I let her. To be like what?"

"Like a pain in the ass." Colonnello's cups his cheek, in what looks like a painful hold. "Shoot me I dare you."

"You're hurting my feelings." Reborn's gun slides up Colonnello's chest from where it was digging in his stomach, to rest under his chin in one of his favorite moves. "Ask me nicely."

"What feelings?" Colonnello frowns. He lets go of the tie to splay his hand above Reborn's heart, and then pauses. "Sorry, but I don't hear anything."

There's a beat of silence during which Skull honestly can't tell if they're serious or not, then suddenly they're snickering at each other like teenage boys who just did something naughty together.

Skull finds himself smiling at their antics, and even laughing a little. He wipes any amusement off his face when Reborn glances at him again, and what's with the side glances anyway?

Reborn pushes Colonnello away with the exact same amount of playfulness and provocation. He stops once not-quite in his personal space, which prompts a double-take from him.

"Lackey, now you're done training in hand-to-hand combat, do you mind touching a gun again? It'd be about time."

Skull smiles, puts his hands in his pockets. "I don't know Sir, do I?"

"Lal and I just finished. We decided to go at it again." Skull flicker his eyes to the thoroughly destroyed area where Lal is picking her ammo from the floor. He's pretty sure he doesn't want to be in the middle of that.

Colonnello leans his arms loosely on his shoulders in a half-hug just when he's about to tell him so. "It's his way to ask for some bonding time with you," he whispers in his ear.

Skull could _not_ have hidden the absolute incredulity and disbelief on his face to save his life. He turns to Colonnello so he doesn't miss any of it, but he just nudges him encouragingly.

Reborn hides his upset face a second too late when he looks back at him. Yeah, this is definitely not about that. More likely he is just missing making him miserable.

"Meet him halfway," Colonnello whispers again just when he opens his mouth to decline again. Then he pushes him straight into Reborn's arms.

Skull's body locks up in a flight or fight response. He loosens his instinctive grip on Reborn's biceps but doesn't dare letting go yet. He straightens up slowly, on the lookout for any reaction from him.

Reborn smells of gunpowder at the moment more than anything else. Reborn stays as still as him, which is odd, and he draws back from him. His hands slip from his biceps and all the way down his arms until they're not touching anymore.

Reborn's eyes doesn't move an inch away from his.

Skull clears his throat. "Did you see that? Colonnello is most definitely the one at fault here."

"I slipped," Colonnello defends, sounding all too amused.

Reborn's eyes narrow, and Skull gears himself up for whatever is coming. Black eyes flicker above his shoulder, then back at him, and nothing comes out.

"Guys," Lal calls out, and Reborn is his usual self again, "whenever you want."

Skull could kiss her right now. He steps back when Reborn's ever present smirk makes its appearance again.

"You coming?" he asks casually, smoothing his button-up.

"I'm right behind you," he hears himself saying.

He watches him walk away, alarm bells still ringing in his head. Skull whips around once he's far enough. "Did you see that?" He points an accusing finger at Colonnello. "What did you _do_?"

Colonnello holds his hands up in surrender. "I can explain."

"So you _did_ do something."

"That's not what I said."

Skull takes two handfuls of his collar, shakes him a bit. "Do you hate me that much? You have to fix this _right now_."

Colonnello laughs. "Baby, it'll be _fine_. Just give it a chance alright?" He pecks his forehead, ruffles his hair, and all but runs away before Skull can say anything else.

* * *

A big, drawn yawn tells Skull just how sleepy he still is. The cold morning air from the ajar door makes him shiver, and he just wants to go back in his bed.

Skull peaks outside, at Reborn's sleek black car. The engine is on already, and he's the one Reborn's waiting for, inexplicably so. Skull didn't even eat, wasn't _allowed_ to eat.

He chances closing the door, and the horn is even louder at this early hour. The others send him a wave of grumpy flames, like it's _his_ fault, and he complains right back to them.

He doesn't _want_ to be there. But Viper said Reborn asked for him, and it can't be a sign of an upcoming good day.

Reborn honks again, and Skull resigns himself. He still stops in front of the passenger's door, leans on the lowered window.

"Finally."

"Tell me why I'm here again?"

"We're going to investigate a shop for an upcoming hit. Viper should have told that."

"Viper said you asked for me specifically?"

Reborn tilts his hat up, so he can see his raised eyebrow. "I wouldn't say that, but what about it?"

Skull has plenty to say about it. He holds up a finger before straightening up, fetches his phone and goes into his messages.

**[i think reborn actually wants to spend time with me]**

**[it's one of my top five signs of my imminent death, i want you to know that]**

**[if i go down i'm bringing you with me]**

Skull looks at the car, then at the mansion, then at the car, then back at the mansion again. His feet shift towards the mansion before he can stop himself, in an obvious show of hesitance.

He curses himself mentally, bends down again at the window, ready to face the Leon-gun. He blinks at Reborn, slouched over the wheel, Leon peaceful on his fedora.

"What is it Lackey? You do know how to get in a car from the passenger side, don't you?"

Skull rolls his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. He opens his mouth to joke back, before the strangeness of their exchange slaps him in the face. He holds up a finger, straightens up again.

**[? ? ?]**

**[! ! !]**

**[reborn is nice and patient with me]**

**[i WILL bring you down with me]**

"Lackey, don't waste my time."

Skull waits a bit for an answer which doesn't come. He takes one steady breath, and resolves himself to get in the car. The first minute goes well, if in silence.

"Tell me why I'm here again?" he can't help himself ask again, looking at the trees out the window.

"It's the opportunity for you to learn the ropes better, you should be happy."

"I'm ecstatic," he deadpans. He glances at Reborn when he feels him staring.

"People would kill to have me as their teachers."

"Poor fuckers. Good for them."

"Watch it Lackey." Skull rolls his eyes, because the smirk on Reborn's lips looks more like a smile than an actual smirk for once.

He makes a move for the radio and instantly gets his hand slapped away.

"It's too early for that." Skull stares disbelievingly at Reborn, because is he for real? He's not sure if it's an actual rule because he doesn't remember ever coming across it, but then again Skull is the one who drives the most often among them.

He tries three other times, because it's a stupid rule anyway, try to be faster and unexpected without results.

Skull sighs loudly. He leans against his seat, but its angle isn't comfortable enough. He fumbles between his seat and the door for the right button, and gets elbowed in the side.

"Ouch!"

"I like my seats just where they are," Reborn says.

"When do you even ride _your_ cars on the passenger seat?"

He elbows him again. "That's because you thought of trying again," he explains before he can complain.

Skull gives him the stinking eye, and shifts away as far as he can. He doesn't try again. Instead he raises his legs, intent on putting them on the dashboard.

Reborn's hand slams down on his left thigh, like he knew it would. Skull looks him right in the eye when he stains the pristine dashboard with his left boot.

Now he could get his other leg down too, but it'd be too much obvious efforts from him. Reborn doesn't ever let himself sink that low. He has to content himself with digging his fingers into his thigh, to Skull's delight.

"You're being childish."

"You're _boring_," Skull laughs. "Also I'm starving, you're the one paying."

Reborn clicks his tongue, looking briefly at him to flick his ear, and he just laughs some more. He has both of his legs raised on the dashboard when his phone makes noises, slumped in his seat.

Colonnello answered him.

**[tell him he better stay on his best behavior, or else]**

**[but try to meet him halfway alright? if not for you, then for me]**

**[my number one sign of my imminent death (and the world's) is an air headed Lal. I'd tell you how terrifying it is but you wouldn't believe me]**

Skull smiles. Yeah, maybe it wouldn't be too bad.

* * *

The bakery shop looks cozy, decorated with red and pink. The sweet smells of homemade cake waters his mouth and his stomach rumbles.

"You're going to kill someone _here_?" The shop has only a couple of people inside right now, but he could imagine it being popular.

"The client wants it to be by food poisoning."

Skull follows Reborn and the server to a table at the back of the shop, away from the vitrine. His eyes wander on the clientele, mostly women who already noticed Reborn, and some couples too.

"Your target's here?"

"No."

"Here's your table. What can I get for you?"

Skull takes his seat across from Reborn, accepts the menu with a smile. He just has the time to open it.

"An espresso for me, and a lemon ricotta cake for him please."

"Your orders will be there soon." The server goes on her way, and Reborn makes himself comfortable, puts his fedora aside on the table.

"Did you just ordered for me?"

"It's your favorite."

"I know," Skull says, suspicious. "You can't kill me in a public place like this."

Reborn gives him a deadpan look, and yeah, he could see the stupid in his statement. "Can't I?" he indulges him anyway.

"Nello said to be in your best behavior, or else."

"How cute of him."

Skull laughs. "Or else what?"

"You ask him Lackey."

"I'm sure he'll tell me if I do."

"I'm sure. Are you guys telling each other everything already? How cute."

Skull's smile falters. Reborn looks unbothered, taking in the bakery. Skull realizes there's a cheesy music coming from the speakers, going in one ear and right out the other.

The server and their orders save him from more awkwardness. "Here, enjoy your meals."

"So," Skull starts, too cheerful. "You ordered and are going to pay for me? What's this, a date?"

"It does look like one, doesn't it?"

Skull chokes on air, hurriedly gulps down a cup of water, while Reborn takes a satisfied sip of his coffee. "_This_ is where you'd bring me for a date?" He gestures pointedly at his surrounding.

"A movie then," Reborn says smoothly. "Or an amusement park. Maybe some outdoor activities? I could even bring you to some underground street races."

Skull need a second to forces on a smile, taken aback. "So you guys actually listen to me? Maybe even keep tabs on me. I'm flattered."

"What makes you think we don't?"

"I don't know Reborn, you're always so quick to shut me up. You tell me."

Skull immediately regrets his words. This is not a direction he wants to see this conversation takes. He tries to play it cool, shifts his attention to his cake like he is about to eat it.

He'd like the conversation to stop altogether, really. Reborn won't act like his usual self lately around him, and it's plainly unnerving.

Reborn kicks his foot. "Well go on, takes a bite." Skull keeps his eyes down, continue to play with his fork. There're loud whispers from the women at the nearby table, directed at Reborn he knows, but the man pays them no mind.

He doesn't react when Reborn kicks his foot again. He sighs. "You're not half as quiet with Colonnello, are you Lackey?"

Skull's fork clatters against his plate. "Really? That's _what_ you want to talk about?"

"_Who_ I want to talk about." Reborn puts his espresso down, crosses his legs. "Why not?"

"So this is what's all this is about?" Skull has to laugh. "I'm sorry _Sir_, did I not give you enough of my time to make me suffer through it these days? It's almost like people don't like being miserable."

There it is, Skull thinks when Reborn's eyes narrow, when his lips curl in a clear warning. The World's Greatest Hitman finally showing through, finally bored with playing nice.

"Is that it?" Reborn's smirk is intimately familiar in how threatening it is, and he didn't miss it. He's sick of seeing it. Its sight makes him cool down anyway, because after two years with Reborn, he knows this isn't going anywhere.

"Leave Nello out of this." He stabs his cake, but nothing suspicious comes out of it. Maybe he could actually eat it and have one good thing comes out of this whole mess. "It isn't about him but all about you. Maybe—"

Skull doesn't continue. He stands up. "I'm leaving."

"No you're not." Reborn leans against his chair, like some king on his throne. Skull wants to snatch his espresso and throw it on his face, wants to make him eat his stupid fedora maybe, wants to fight back openly for once. He is so done with all of this.

"I don't think I want to do this anymore."

"I can tell that much by myself Lackey. Sit down."

Skull takes one, slow, deep breath. He releases the tablecloth from his vice-like grip and sits back down. Meet him halfway, Colonnello had said, whatever the hell this "halfway" is supposed to be.

Reborn pushes his cake closer to him. "Maybe what?"

The fork is still embedded in it. Skull doesn't touch it. "Maybe you'd have bridges to cross too if you didn't burn them all upon meeting me."

"Fair enough." Skull waits for the other shoe to drop but it doesn't. When he looks up Reborn is sipping his coffee, and looks pointedly at the cake. And maybe it's the easy admission, or how he can tell he actually meant it, but Skull decides to let go. He is hungry anyway.

He picks up his fork, and pokes his cake around for a bit.

"I didn't poison it."

"You so did, shut up." Reborn bends forward, his elbow on the table, resting his head on his fist and his eyes intent on him.

Skull takes a hesitant first bite. A highly acid and spicy taste burst in his mouth, completely assaulting his taste buds. Skull's eyes water immediately, tears falling down, his whole face heating up in seconds.

He spits out his barely chewed piece of cake none-too gracefully, his mouth hanging open above his plate. All the while the Leon-camera stays pointed on him.

"See?" Reborn says, a Cheshire grin on his face and black eyes sparkling. "No poison."

Skull throws his plate at him, and makes a run for the nearest water. Reborn's husky laugh follows him in his mad dash.

* * *

"Aren't you getting dizzy?"

Lal is sprawled on the couch, hanging above the armrest from her shoulders. Her hair are up in a messy bun. "I'm good."

"I didn't know you were the reading type."

"You can't always go in blind and hope for the best."

"Was that a jab at me?"

"Yes."

Skull snorts. "Fair enough." He slumps further in the armchair, his feet up on the low table, while Lal turns another page of her book. It's silent in the living room, silent upstairs too, which he chooses to see as a good sign. "I miss Fon."

"He comes back today."

"He is truly the backbone of this team isn't he?" he sighs.

"He's the one most successful at keeping us in check, yeah."

"Same thing."

Lal smacks his book against his leg, and he grins at her. He has half the mind to retaliate but thinks better of it.

Skull straightens up, hangs both his legs above the armrest and rests his head on the other one. A gunshot rings through the air, but it's more worrying when they don't hear any really.

The ceiling is in a poor state, marred with suspicious but very recognizable marks. The long cracks are from Fon, the smaller destroyed areas are from Viper, the burnt marks from—

They're most definitely flame bullets imprints too, as few as they are.

"What is it?"

A little smile tugs at his lips. "You don't have to."

Skull can feel her roll her eyes. "I don't need you to tell me that. But fine, just get your negative energy away from my reading session then."

Skull looks her way, where she's still as much in the same position as before. It's the casual tone of her voice, like she wouldn't mind hearing him even if she doesn't exactly want to that decides him.

He swings his leg back and forth. "You guys are acting different with me. And hesitantly. It's messing with my head."

"How come?"

"You mean you don't know?" he mocks. "I can't act normal with you if you don't act normal with me. Our whole relationship stands on—" he cuts himself off. Now he has to say it out loud, it doesn't shine any of them in a good light. Skull finds himself wanting to soften the blow, for his own sake if not theirs. "— stands on me figuring out whatever tune you want me to dance on."

"Who are you talking about?"

"All of you?" Skull says immediately. He twists to have a good look of her face, supports himself on his arm. "Yeah Reborn is the more obvious, but none of you are exactly subtle, World's Greatest."

"Did _you_ just talked to me about subtlety?" Skull makes a face at her, prompting Lal to take a swing at him with her book. "Did you consider the fact you just watch us more closely than we ever thought? More meaningfully too."

He shrugs. "Your mistake."

"It sure is," Lal says, smiling a little but her eyes tell a different story. "Did you consider the fact that maybe this time we're waiting for you to clue us in?"

Skull's mouth opens on harsh words he holds back. He shifts his attention back to the ceiling. "I just want everything to go back to normal."

"No you don't, why would you?"

"At least it was known territory."

"So you're just being a coward?"

"I' never understood the meaning of this word at any point in my life."

"You're scared."

Skull bolts in a sitting position. "OK then what about this: I _don't want_ to just give you guys a shot at this supposed change of heart of yours."

Lal freezes under his gaze but doesn't look shaken by it. She puts down her book on the floor, crosses her arms on the armrest and rests her chin on them. Her scrutinizing eyes slides away from him, which helps him cool down. She rolls her eyes when the noises from upstairs pick up in frequency and loudness.

Skull slumps against his armchair, straining his ears. His mood is lighter already, it's going as well as he thought it would, in others words not very well. It's what Colonnello deserves for doing things behind his back.

Lal's voice snaps him put of his thoughts. "You know what I think?" He gives the slightest of shrugs. "Big events in life always changes people's way of seeing things. Both things to come and things which had already happened."

"Yeah, like an unbreakable curse came out of nowhere."

"And Colonnello."

"Bless him," he sighs only half-jokingly.

Lal sighs too, only half-exasperated. "You spoil him too much." She turns narrowed eyes on him. "And he spoiled you too much."

He grins. "Maybe we like being spoiled. Do you spoil him?"

She rises an eyebrow. "Don't tell me how to treat my boyfriend."

"Does he spoil you?"

"He better." Skull chuckles, and doesn't miss the red spreading on Lal's cheeks. It dies down a bit in his throat when Lal stands up from the couch. She gestures for him to move aside, and flops down beside him, both her legs on his lap like they belong there. "Should I play it straight?"

He plays with Lal's high socks absentmindedly, picking at their hems and some loose strands. "Sure."

"It looks to me we're pretty set on changing the way things were you know? Except we want them to change on your terms, and you still have to step in."

Skull hums. Lal has a lot more scars than he would have thought, their faded remnants lost in her tanned skin. He runs his fingers along the one up her thigh in a circle arc he didn't notice until now.

"You do get to choose whichever pace you prefer this time. Or no pace at all, I suppose."

He hums again. Lal's hand finds the little hair at the base of her neck, and she tugs. He cries out. "What the hell?"

"Are you listening to me?"

"I am!" he whines, getting her to let go. He keeps his hand around her wrist lest she tries again.

"And?"

"It sounds too good to be true," he huffs. "Sounds like it might be a little too late too," he adds quietly.

Lal's legs draw back, and he thinks she's getting up, ending the conversation. Instead she slings an arm around his shoulders to support herself, and takes a hold of his face with her other hand.

Skull could free himself if he wants too. He takes La's face in, framed by some forgotten strands of her hair, and it strikes him how fiercer she looks with her hair up.

Her voice is no less soft. "Now we're as stuck together as we are, it's only reasonable you'd want to make your stay as tolerable as possible. It doesn't have to mean anything else you don't want it to."

He tries to find the catch in steady red eyes, in Mist and Cloud flames he can barely feel anymore—the thought sparks something vicious and vindictive in his flames—but doesn't find anything. "Sounds nice."

"As long as you understand." Lal's hold on his face turns less into a restraining gesture, light against his skin, her thumb stroking his cheek. She stands up. "Come on, these idiots get carried away and Reborn likes to use the room next to ours when his own needs reparation."

As if on cue, multiple gunshots followed by a dull sound make Lal purses her lips. Skull swallows back a giggle. He jumps to his feet and falls in steps behind her.

"Yes ma'am."

Lal twirls around in a smooth, graceful movement, and the _something_ he catches in his eyes makes him blush even before she says anything. "Don't let me get used to that."

They meet Viper halfway to Reborn's room, their cape hastily thrown on their shoulders, their scowl obvious under their hood, especially with their hair held back like that. They slam the door open, and Skull winces when it bounces on the wall.

He puts his hands on Lal's shoulders, carefully peeks above her head. The room doesn't look as bad as he would have thought, the bed totally undone, some furniture on the floor or broken or obviously not where they should have been, bullets marks here and there.

Mostly it looks like Reborn and Colonnello wrestle and roll on the floor out of fun more than anything else. Their flames chase each other, push and pull in a playful back and forth.

"What are you doing?" Lal asks. "Trying and falling to undress each other?" Skull stifles a laugh. They're truly a mess, the both of them.

Colonnello's headband is nowhere to be seen, his hair falling in his eyes. His shirt is torn at various places, the cut at the collar making the shirt loose, low on his shoulder. Reborn lost his hat, jacket and gun holsters, his ruffled button-up halfway out of his pant, his tie loose around his neck. His hair are an uncharacteristic mess of black hair.

Reborn glances her way, from where he's trying to immobilize Colonnello under his weight. "Any tips for me?"

"What makes you think I'd give them to you?"

"You tell him," Colonnello laughs. He rises on his elbow, grabs a fistful of Reborn's hair. "You have to earn it, and you're not doing a really good job at it so far." Reborn pushes him back against the floor.

"What _are_ you doing?" Viper demands, not amused. "Apart for waking innocent people from their nap, of course."

"We're in the middle of having a meaningful conversation. Do you mind give us back our privacy?"

"To do _what_?" Skull says innocently. Lal elbows him in the guts but he regrets nothing. He straightens up, rests his chin on the top of her head, his arms loosely hang around her neck.

Reborn's change in focus costs him, and Colonnello flips them over.

"_Are_ we having a meaningful conversation?" Reborn's arms hover in between them, restrained by Colonnello's hands. "Or you're so absurdly stubborn I need to punch you to submission first?"

"Oh, is that what you're trying to do? I wasn't sure."

Colonnello narrows his eyes. His grip loosen, Reborn quick to snatch his arm back. Colonnello barely dodges the gunshot, cursing. "_W__here_ did you even hide this one?" He slams Reborn's hand against the floor, the gun sliding away from the both of them.

"What did I miss?"

Skull knows they'll never admit it, but the three of them startle at Fon's voice. They turn towards him, and Fon has the good idea to raise his hands in surrender at Lal's and Viper's hostility.

"Fon, I swear to God one day…"

"Or right about now," Viper says. Fon gives him a look and he nods, because yes Viper did just wake up.

Fon smiles, and most likely thinks better than pointing the Mist own tendencies at startling them. "My apologies, I didn't mean to."

"Fon!" Skull chirps, because he is actually happy to see him but also because Viper feels like they want to start a fight. He skips to him, grabs lightly at his _changshan_. "Hi, welcome back. When did you arrive?"

Fon looks thrown out of balance for a second. "Just right now."

"You could never come back soon enough from your missions," he sighs dramatically. "I hope you know you're the rock to my sanity in these trying times."

Fon's smile shows some teeth, in something more genuine than just out of habit. He cups the back of his neck, his thumb running along the bone of his jaw. "I'm honored."

Skull blinks. That's new. He leans into the touch, because it's nice too. "I live to please."

Fon's breathes a little laugh, and crinkles appear at the corner of his eyes. The rowdy men in the room catch his attention, and a playful smile plays at his lips. "Doesn't Reborn look particularly appealing like that?"

Skull looks back at the struggling men. Colonnello is still on top of Reborn, in the middle of tying Reborn's hands above his head with his own tie.

Reborn looks… _submitted_. His hands tied above his head, his button-up doesn't cover his lower belly anymore. With the tie gone and the buttons that popped, it leaves bare his slender neck and the beginning of his collarbones. The red on his cheeks contrasts with the strands of black hair framing his face.

Skull bites his lip slowly. "He does."

"He does," Lal repeats, her voice sounding a bit far away like she's daydreaming.

"I don't know," Viper says, "he doesn't look humbled enough yet."

Reborn spares a smirk their way, and Skull's not sure if he wants them to shut up or elaborate more. "Thank you."

Colonnello snickers. He falls back on his feet, one hand firmly still around Reborn's wrists. His other hand bears on Reborn's neck, to hold him still or actually choke him or both. "You know what? You do look really—" he tilts his head, lets his eyes wander on Reborn's figure "—_pretty_ like that." The word rolls on his tongue, drips from his lips like honey, and seems to steal all of their voices.

"Pretty?" Reborn says, and doesn't manage to sound convincingly offended. "It's too much a weak word to describe me."

"So pretty," Colonnello says again, tilting Reborn's head this side and that side. "Now if only you could just _shut up_ more often—"

"You'd miss my voice."

"—and be _nicer_—"

"You'd get bored in a blink."

Colonnello bites his lip, fighting against the smile spreading on his face. He lowers himself down until his breathing in Reborn's air. "You'd be the prettiest little thing ever." It's only a whisper, but in the silence in the room the words don't escape anyone.

Reborn's lips part like he is about to say something but nothing comes out. Sun and Rain flames mingle together, heavy in the air, and it doesn't feel as innocent and playful as before.

"Don't you feel like we're intruding?" Fon murmurs.

"No," the three of them says in unison.

"I was certain you'd agree with me." Fon grabs onto Viper, who grabs Skull's arm, intent in fighting back. Skull knows it's a lost cause, so he lets himself be pulled by the momentum. He drags Lal with him, because he doesn't see why she should be the only one allowed to stay.

Fon makes them step back, then marches forwards to close the door. He turns back to face three disappointed stares.

"Can't we enjoy the little things in life?" Skull pouts.

"They obviously need to sort some things out."

"When? Before or after they make out?"

Skull bites the inside of his cheek to stifle his laugh. He could see all over Fon's face they're in for a speech about good manners, and he'd like to keep it as short as possible. Lal on the other hand hasn't such reservations.

"And you want to be there when it happens because…?" Viper stays quiet this time, and Fon doesn't bother hiding his smug face. "Come on, let's have some tea." He grabs Skull's and Viper's hand, and Skull grabs Lal's hand before she can slip away. She gives him a painful squeeze in return, and he sticks his tongue at her. "Where's Verde?"

A knowing look pass between the three of them, and they do nothing to warn Verde of Fon's upcoming visit. The man could probably use some tea anyway, knowing him like they do.

* * *

Skull lies flat on the floor for the third time. He looks under the couch, under the armchairs, under the TV's furniture and finds nothing. He moves all of these furnitures further away from where they were, carefully circle them.

He opens the little compartments on the TV's furniture, but all of their contents are already spread on the floor.

"You better intend to clean this mess, Lackey."

"I'm looking for Lal's book. You didn't hide it did you?" Skull bears his full weight against the floorboard, straining his ear for any suspicious sound. As far as he knows there isn't any secret hiding place in the living room, but the others wouldn't exactly advertise it if there is one.

"Please, I'm much more creative when it comes to distract myself."

"Which is not an actual quality of yours, by the way." He takes one heavy step, shifting his weight a bit, then another, not expecting much.

"Like you'd be willing to recognize any of my many qualities." Skull rolls his eyes. He glances sideways, at Reborn's profile, sat on the couch's armrest. He's not looking at him, and he's been less invasive since his "talk" with Colonnello, but he could tell he's about to make things weird again.

Maybe he should make his escape while he still could. They're no one nearby on top of it, no one at all apart from them downstairs actually.

"Skull—"

Skull goes instantly into panic mode. He jumps on the low table to the couch back to the floor in a low crouch. He rolls away from the bullets, rips a piece of the floorboard and throws it blindly towards Reborn.

There's a loud breaking noise—probably the vase— and Reborn curses, so his aim was close enough. He pushes himself to his feet, makes a beeline for the counter top, the quickest way out of the living room.

A flame bullet wheezes past him, and he thinks for a second it missed him because he's stupid. It hits the wall at his eye level, explodes in a bright yellow light and immediately blinds him, and Skull can't fucking believe he's still falling for this trick.

He needs less than a second for his flames to deal with his blindness, but Reborn is faster somehow, pulls him back roughly by his shirt, and he falls down.

He scrambles backwards on his elbows. "Wait, just wait Reborn, I—"

Reborn lies him down flat on his back with his foot. He drops on his knees, a heavy hand replacing the foot on his chest. Skull manages to free one of his leg when he straddles him but it isn't going to help him much.

Reborn shoots at either side of his head, and he stops struggling, the buzzing in his ears overtaking the beating of his heart.

"OK, OK, I get it." He keeps his arms still and conspicuously on the floor. "Time out OK? Time out."

"You hit my fedora. With _Leon_ on it."

"I'm sure he's fine," Skull says quickly. He would try to look for the lost fedora, but the barrel of a gun is pointing in between his eyes. Its sight is still better than Reborn's deadpan face.

"_Wha__t_ was _that_?"

"You tell me!" he cries out. "Look Reborn, I don't know where you got your info but I didn't do anything OK? I swear I'm innocent."

"What are you talking about? I wanted us to talk."

"You—you wanted to _talk_?" He splutters. "First of all, it doesn't reassure me at all. Second of all, you called me by my name! Why would you that?"

Reborn narrows his eyes. He marks a beat of silence before lowering his gun the slightest bit. "Yes, I suppose I can see the logic in that."

"I'm so glad you do." Skull stops himself there for his own sanity, letting his flames cool down. His eyes slide to the doorway, and he moves to get up. Reborn's hand on his chest pushes back, and he pulls his guard up again.

"I still want to talk," he smirks.

"Oh?" Skull's eyes flicker around for an escape, anything that could help him escape the situation. He sends a call for help through their Bond, and Reborn immediately sends a message of his own. The others stay quiet, leaving him to his fate, and he doesn't know why he thought he could count on them.

"See that right now? You're scared of me."

Skull snaps his eyes back to Reborn. He's joking, he thinks first, but for all the smirk pulling at his lips he can tell he's serious. He breathes out a disbelieving laugh.

"You're pinning me down? And pointing a gun at me. Not like it actually makes me scared of you, but, you know."

"No? What about anger then?" Sun flames abruptly flare up, turn their focus solely on Cloud flames. Any thoughts of keeping whatever this is to blow up in a direct confrontation dies in Skull. "You become so good at making people feel so completely in control, I almost started to forget it's still very much here."

"Don't." Skull draws back his flames but Reborn is competent and efficient, and his flames already seep in his defenses. He always liked his mind games, but the thought he'd be willing to cross this particular line sparks and builds up the anger he's apparently looking for. "_Don't_."

Reborn moves his gun away from his face, but he's not stupid enough to relax because of it. "You don't hold me very close to your heart, do you Lackey?"

"And it surprises you because?" Reborn's hand on his chest starts to affect his breathing, and he claws at his arm to try to release the pressure.

"You came to us as an incompetent, ignorant civilian, and you can't forgive us for trying to teach you."

"I came to you as one of the _I __P__rescelti __S__ette_ while being only a civilian, and _you_ can't forgive me for not having earned my place." There's a yellow hue in black eyes, while he is sure his eyes are already the bright purple color of his flames. Skull never did in nuances. "Call back your flames Reborn," he says, voice strained, his flames deliberately dancing around his hands. They're tightly coiled defensively, but Reborn keeps his insidious invasion. "Call them back now before I break something."

The sparkles of Cloud flames makes Reborn smile, makes him _chuckle_ in a way Skull doesn't recognize. He gives up on his gun to take a hold of his jaw. "You're such a waste of such beautiful potential. Do you have such poor esteem of yourself you don't care living like that?"

"What do you care?"

"You're one of ours. You're one of mine. What would you have me do?"

"_What do you_ _care_?" Skull snaps, much like Reborn's bones. He lets his flames loose, and they lash out on Sun flames, overtake them in seconds. "You can't even do this one little thing I'm asking you right now." It's nothing kind the way his flames press against Reborn's, but nothing hurtful either, not yet. "_**Back. Off.**_"

Reborn's eyes are gold now. His flames don't retreat, doesn't lose their power, but they still as if cornered. How strange it is—how _good_ it feels—to be the predator for once.

Reborn's not smiling anymore, and it's a welcome sight. "Why did you kept coming back to the meeting then?"

"You don't get to tell me what I should do or how I should act," he spits out. "You don't get to coerce me to be what you see as the perfect version of myself, is that really that hard to understand?" Reborn tilts his head in a warning manner, and Skull lick his lips, exasperated. He's the one who wanted to talk, isn't he? "If this is how you're going to care about me, then I'd rather have you not care about me at all."

A rarely seen emotion appears openly on Reborn's face. Hurt, Skull realizes, and it's like it echoes in him something painful too. Reborn straightens up slowly, lets his face go. Skull's breath comes out easier.

"You'd have died thousands times already if not for your immortality. If not for us."

"But you were there weren't you?" His voice is quiet, like he gave up, but he's somehow not quite there yet. "You were there each time I needed you, and it's not like I asked you to. You wanted to be there, or am I being too naive thinking that?"

"You're one of us," Reborn only says.

"Won't you keep being there then?" Sun flames twitches at the heart of his Cloud flames. To Skull's surprise they lost all of their defensive edge, leave themselves at his mercy. Skull takes it as the peace offering it is, and lets the fight seeps out from him. "I have my weaknesses, I know that Reborn. But I thought it was all the appeal and comfort of being in a team."

A smile graces Reborn's lips. "You said one day you could never see me as a team player."

Skull huffs. Reborn's flames feels like the sun, appropriately enough. An overbearing sun, chasing all the other elements out from the sky, chasing all the shadows with its light, leaving helpless anyone who'd wish to hide from its light or even only rest from its brightness.

They still feel like that to him to this day.

Skull sits upright, and Reborn moves lower on his leg to give him room. "You feel like proving me wrong yet?"

Reborn's eyes shine with mirth, but whatever quips he thought of never pass his lips. He loosens his sideburns once, his gaze searching. "What would you have me do?"

Skull laughs a bit breathlessly, because how surreal it is they're actually having this conversation. He falls against Reborn, his forehead on his shoulder. "Let's figure it out."

"What should we start with?" Skull rolls his eyes. All of them really need to learn how to just _chill_.

"Stop calling me Lackey."

"Easy," Reborn says, and he has to snort. He's definitely going to have slips up.

"We'll see." Reborn chuckles, and it seems to drain the last of tension in his body. He rests his head against his first, then little by little ends up hiding in his neck.

Skull breathes in and out, empties his head. Their flames pull away from each other but don't distance themselves. They hover near each other, poking tentatively in the other's territory. It's like they're meeting for the first time, except Skull remembers their first meeting and it is much better.

He lets himself believe in what he hopes is a fresh start.

Someone clears their throat after what could be seconds or minutes. "Sorry, I'm not interrupting am I? I was sent as a scout to see is the cost is clear and if you didn't maim each other too badly."

"Nello," Skull perks up. But then he remembers how he threw him to the wolves like nothing.

"Hey baby, is everything alright?"

He narrows his eyes. "You care _now_? How convenient." Colonnello makes a contrite face, leaned against the doorway, but he sees in his eyes it's fake.

"What he said," Reborn says, looping his arms around his neck. "I was a perfect gentleman, wasn't I _Skull_?"

He most definitely _wasn't_. Skull tries to catch Reborn's eyes to tell him so, but he doesn't let them split from each other. (Skull tries not to feel so absurdly giddy at the mere mention of his name, and fails lamentably.)

"Were you now?"

Reborn doesn't answer. He nuzzles his neck instead, and Skull thinks he's going to kiss it when his lips graze his skin, as delirious the thought makes him feel. He should have known better.

Reborn runs his teeth along one of his veins, then bites down at the junction of his neck and his shoulder. Hard.

Skull yelps, pushes him away. "Reborn! What the hell?" He scrambles to his feet, feels the blood rise to his face. "You bite me!"

Reborn doesn't even spare him a glance, his full focus on Colonnello and vice-versa. He stands up in turn, adjusts his jacket. "A _perfect_ gentleman."

Colonnello looks all too pleased, grinning from ear to ear. "Jealousy is such a good look on you." He steps froward, circles Reborn, looks Skull up and down, like he could tell by their sight alone if anything amiss took place. He gives Reborn a soft and pleased smile, presses a lingering kiss at the corner of his lips. "Wasn't too hard now, was it pretty thing?"

Reborn looks down at the hand on his hip, looks back up into baby blue eyes. "When anything is ever hard for me?"

"Hum, hello? I have a situation here?"

"'Situation'," Reborn mocks, and Colonnello steps in before they can start arguing.

"Right, of course." He moves from Reborn to him, and Skull drops his hand from his neck. "OK, let me see?" He tilts his head back to give him room, his eyes on Reborn mostly because he was staring at him first. Colonnello strokes with his thumb what he can only assume is a bite mark. "Nice," he whispers.

Skull's heart stutters at Reborn's smirk. "Isn't it?"

Colonnello hums, looks above his shoulder briefly. He tilts his head back further.

Skull jolts when he laps at his neck. He presses his lips on his neck in an open-mouthed kiss, and his breath catches in his throat while his tongue moves over the bitten skin. Colonnello pecks his cheek once he's done, gives him what's supposed to be an innocent smile.

"Better?" Skull can't even find back his breath, let alone his words. He blinks dumbly at him.

"_Nice_," Reborn drawls, and Colonnello's grin takes positively something of a predatory edge.

Skull hides his burning face in his hands, and wishes hard for the floor to open and swallow him whole.

* * *

**A/N: I honest to god started writing this story thinking i'd write only short chapters like the first one, but here i am lmao. It's okay, I think I made my piece with that lol. T****his chapter feels like just scenes i wanted to happen back to back without much of a red line to follow, but i'm okay with that. **

****What did you think of Reborn ans Skull last scene? **I feel like i resolved their conflicts too quickly/easily, but oh well, we're not here for the angst are we? **

**Also i want to say i have exactly zero experience in romance or flirting or sexual attraction so i hope this whole thing is somewhat realistic enough lmao.**

**Thank you for the favorites and follows. I hope you liked this new chapter. Any and all review are appreciated. Thank you for reading!**

**w.h**


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